Zathura Vortex: Halloween Romance 1: Blood Lovers
by LA Knight
Summary: The BBs go up against a strange team. Kai finds a girl who might be a vampire. Will they end up being sucked into a war between all the things that go bump in the night? R&R! New and extended scenes!
1. Kai's Autumn Midnight

**Chapter One **

**Scream Team **

"Kai, let's go! We have a tournament to attend. Right guys?"

"Right, Ray. Don't be such a slow-poke, Kai! We wanna make a good impression." Tyson grinned at the team captain. Kaiaden Hiwatari, or Kai Flamewing, was the coldest Beyblader in Japan. Which was exactly how everyone liked him. Normally, anyway. But did he have to be so slow!?

"Yeah, whatever." Kai got up and walked into the stadium, momentarily surprised at the large crowd. In America, everyone's favorite Beyblading team was the Holidays, which was actually an organization with different teams to ensure at least a semi-finalist in all matches. The Blade Breakers were going up against Team Halloween. The Chief, the Breakers' strategist, was pretty sure all the matches would be draws. Kai wasn't too happy about that, and neither were the others.

**oo8oo8oo8oo8oo**

**_Flashback_**

Their team is pretty strong. I'm not sure they're even actually beatable. If they pair this right, or wrong as it were, all our matches are most likely going to be draws." Kenny said. "Their team is extremely good, and every member of their team has a bit beast. Most of them are humanoid, and those are some of the strongest types."

"Uh," Tyson began, "what's a draw?"

"A tie. Neither of us will win. Now, some pointers. Don't go easy on some of those Bladers jut because they're little kids. They-"

"How little?" Ray asked curiously. Kenny replied, "The youngest is five, but she's pretty good. Those kids kick ass just as hard as we do. Ray, you'd better look out for three Bladers specifically. Joanna Ascaria, Wendy West, and Bindi Shado. Joanna's young, but she's tough, believe me. Max, you look out for those three, as well as Julian Savage and Winter Wolfe. Tyson, you look out for all of them, because they know how to get around Dragoon."

"Are you serious? But Chief, how is that possible?"

"That's what I haven't quite figured out yet, and I'm still working on it. Kai, watch out for Winter Wolfe, and the team captain, Midnight Vaperio."

**oo8oo8oo8oo8oo**

"Okay!" The announcer guy cried out. "First up, it's the high-flying Kai Kaido versus the legendary Vampiric Blader, Midnight Vaperio!"

"Well, Jim, it looks like Miss Midnight has her work cut out for her, with Kai's bit beast Draanzer and its Flaming Arrow attack."

"But don't count out the girl ghoul yet, Brad, because Midnight's pulling her weight with her bit beast Dunpeal and its Blooded Fang Strike. That Midnight is one ferocious Blader, and her bit beast is pretty vicious, too."

"You said it Jim. I heard she once drained the power from her opponent's blade the way a Vampire drains blood. And a quirk of hers is that her beast actually ha a name. It's supposed to be a half Vampire, half human bit creature."

"It looks like Kai can handle himself okay, though. Let's get on with the match. Bladers, assume position."

"3-2-1… let it riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiippppp!" Kai's cobalt blade flew into the ring at the same time as Midnight's jet and crimson one glided inside. All the boys were puzzled, and more than a little disturbed, by Midnight, her launcher, and even her Beyblade.

Midnight wore a crimped burgundy skirt down to her knees, a pair of black tights and black shoes with red roses on them. Her shirt was a red silk tank, with a black velvet jacket. Her hair swept over slightly pointed ears with delicate tips and a high, pale forehead with perfect, crow-black brows. Her lips were red as blood, hair like coal, and her face as white as the snow.

Her launcher was actually an ornate Carpathian dagger, with a black leather hilt and a wicked looking hematite blade, sharpened to a razor point.

Her Beyblade was unique, black as a moonless and starless night, with a pair of red drops of blood that looked very real. The defense ring was blood red and had a spike collar attached. A pair of full, blood-red lips had been painted on the top, with glistening white fangs dipped in blood. Her bit piece was glowing ebony and scarlet, like the demonic flames of Hell.

"Hey, Kai, you aren't too bad! I'm actually enjoying myself. But, how about moving it up a notch!" Midnight pushed her hair out of her piercing blue eyes. Kai smiled slightly, knowing she was up to the challenge.

"Draanzer, Flaming Arrow attack!"

"Stauss, my Vampire love, Blooded Fang Strike!" A whirlpool of blood shot out of the Beyblade and swirled overhead, forming a giant cobra. The blood slowly turned from ruby red to black, the black leaching away the color as Draanzer's color began to fade, its energy fading along with it.

"What's going on, Chief?" Tyson cried out. Who did this girl think she was, using a freaky Goth Beyblade to ruin their team?

"Don't worry, Tyson. Kai knows what he's doing. Midnight thinks she's got him right where she wants him, but Kai can take care of himself. Ray, I want you to look out in this upcoming round. You're going up against Bindi Shado, and she's an excellent Blader. Her Beyblade is powered by the shadows, and grows stronger the more light you shine on it, so watch out. Her Beyblade also can withstand Drigger's attack, because her bit beast makes it seem like her blade's actually made of shadows. You hafta find a weakness." Kenny looked earnestly up at Ray. The older boy smiled at the young Beyblading genius.

"No problem, Kenny." Ray said. "But, what about Kai?"

"Don't worry about Kai. Midnight's blade is weak against fire. He can handle it." As Kenny was saying this, Kai was thinking, going through his list of attacks.

"Draanzer, Mystic Fire Quicksand attack!" A blinding flash of light, in which the only thing heard was "Stauss, Victorian Silver Bite!" When the smoke cleared, and everyone quit seeing stars, both blades were lying on the floor outside the dish. Kai was standing, gazing across the game dish.

"What is he staring at?" Max asked quietly. Ray pointed.

"Whoa, look at Midnight!" Tyson cried. The young Blader was lying on her back, chest heaving, skin paler than paper. Kai jumped across the dish, kneeling beside her.

"Hey. Hey, are you alright?" She didn't look bad, just like she was out of breath. She shook her head, gasping, eyelashes fluttering.

"I'm great, I guess. Just need more iron in my blood. Light has this weird effect on me when it's a great mass like that. Sorry if I freaked you out." Kai helped her to sit up, and suddenly felt her stiffen. When he touched her arm, he felt a shock of electricity pass to her skin from his fingertips. There was a sense of déjà vu, of recognition. It was most disorienting. Midnight heard a voice in her mind cry out, _Hey! Don't I _know_ you?!_

Her eyes locked on his, and he heard a voice in his head breathe softly, _Auramdas_? Her breathing slowed down, while his breathing quickened. The teenage boy stared at her, unable to look away. Again, the word resounded in his head, more certain this time: _Auramdas_. He didn't know what the word meant, but hearing it left him breathless and aching, hot and hard, and he nearly moaned. _Auramdas._ Again it came, echoing inside his skull, this time seductive, sinful, deliciously wicked, a sultry whisper, an invitation for long, hot nights tangled in black silk sheets, tasting her sweet kisses... he shook his head. What the _fuck_? He gazed at her, drinking in the sight of her, unsure of what was going on between them. He tried to put the word in her head.

_Auramdas?_

_Loshan, nim Auramdas._ **(Yes, my Auramdas) **This was almost a decree, a demand. His body grew harder.

_Say it out loud. Please?_ Midnight's full, lush, succulent lips parted, and he could see the tips of her fangs (fangs?) and her tongue as she breathed in a sensual whisper, "_Auramdas_."

Kai almost died. A wave of pleasure washed through him as she murmured again, "_Auramdas_." He didn't know the word, didn't recognize the language, but at the sound of her voice saying that one word, his blood began to sing in his veins and golden heat pooled low in his body. His stomach clenched in unexplainable anticipation as he looked into Midnight's eyes. "Now you."

"_Auramdas_." Midnight's golden eyes closed slowly and dreamily, as if savoring a wonderful aroma or the taste of a sweet, rare wine. She smiled, looking thoroughly content and satisfied, as if she'd just had a round or three of awesome, sweaty, passionate sex. Kai shook himself and almost yelped, "Oh, here are your team mates. Come on!" Kai helped her to stand, but was reluctant to let her go.

'She still looks a bit wobbly." Kai thought. But a tall girl with pale skin and a few pale scars on her face helped Midnight away, and a younger girl dressed in a pretty white frock smiled up at him and whispered, "Thank you." Kai just nodded. He did not need anyone's thanks. He helped her because she needed help.

'I helped her because I wanted to.' Kai thought to himself. 'Whoa! Where the hell did that come from?! And what the fuck was that feeling? And the deal with that word?'

"Good game, Midnight! Hope to battle you again." He whispered softly. He liked her, this supposed Vampire Beyblading girl. She was worthy to battle, and worthy to call friend. He was glad of that. And then, there was that strange attraction. Walking over to the other Blade Breakers, they peppered him with questions.

"What happened?" Max inquired.

"Did she faint?" Kenny asked.

"Is she tough?" Ray asked.

"Is she pretty?"

"Is she a skilled Blader?" Max asked.

"Is she pretty?" That was Tyson. Again. Kai had to answer him.

"No, she didn't faint, she physically collapsed while still conscious. She's allergic to intense light. She _is_ tough, but not so tough that I can't beat her. She's a very skilled, very talented Beyblader, yes."

"You didn't say if she was pretty, though. And why do you look like the proverbial walking hard-on?" Tyson snickered.

"Oh, grow up, Tyson! But, did she call her Bit Beast 'Stauss?' I thought it was called Dunpeal." Ray interjected curiously.

"It is." Midnight's voice rang out. Kai's pulse quickened, his blood heated. "But to call him that would be like saying, 'Hey, human!' It would be pretty rude. So, he helped me pick out a name: Sergio Stanilauss. He picked it, not me. And, as for Kai thinking I'm pretty, I like to think I am, but I may be just a tad bit conceited." Midnight smiled, revealing oddly pointed teeth that shone like glimmering pearls.

"Ah, Miss Vaperio! So good to see you again!" A warm voice cried jovially. Kai noticed Midnight stiffen. Ray could smell her fear. She looked like a deer caught in someone's headlights. Her eyes were wide, and they suddenly looked bright gold. When Kai blinked, they were back to being blue.

"Hello, Vlad. I'm slightly surprised to see you." Midnight murmured. The brunette man that came to stand beside her simply smiled.

"I'm slightly surprised to see you, as well, Midnight. I thought I told you to let Winter handle this match."

"Winter wasn't skilled enough to Beyblade against Kai. I am. So I did."

"But you lost."

"The match has been rescheduled, Vlad. I didn't lose. I've never lost, and you know it. So stop getting so whiny. I refuse to stay home while my team battles against another, especially one so strong and highly skilled as the Blade Breakers." Her voice had taken on a chilling edge, like a frigid blade of ice. Vlad grinned at her, and merely said, "Ah, but, who are your friends?" Kai and Ray caught the girl's annoyed look before she banished it from her countenance.

"These are the Blade Breakers. This is Maxwell, Kenneth, Raymond, Tyson, and Kai." She turned a pleading gaze on each of them. Something wasn't right, Kai suddenly thought. Something strange was going on between this girl, his _Auramdas_, and this strange, new man. Something in Kai's deepest soul raged, roaring in anger, _Rival! Rival! Rival! Viranoshimik!_

Then a tiny little voice in his head asked, _What does that mean?_

"You know it's improper to spend too much time alone with a bunch of boys you hardly know, Midnight." Anger flashed in her eyes as they turned a hard yellow. She had had enough of this condescension and disdain.

"We're _not_ alone, we're well within sight of the crowd. Even if we weren't, who cares what the press says? I am the Captain of this team, not you, Vlad!" Midnight looked triumphant for a brief second, and then horror and chagrin snatched the look from her face. Her eyes turned a pale gray. What on Earth had she been thinking? Vlad simply stared, anger in his eyes and a cold, cruel smile on his lips.

"I'll quote you on that. Don't spend too much time with these… boys, darling, or people might start to talk."

"I can take care of myself, boyo!" she whispered fiercely.

"Tiger, tiger burning bright in the forest of the night. No mortal hand nor mortal eye can tame your fearful symmetry." He reached out to touch her, and she flinched, but he merely brushed a lock of hair from her cheek and left. Midnight nearly sagged with relief. She gave the boys an apologetic smile.

Kai stared at her mouth. At her perfect, Cupid's bow lips. They were red, lush and full, inviting… he desperately wanted to kiss her. He had to kiss her. If he wanted to live another ten minutes he had to kiss her. He had every right to kiss her, she was his _Auramdas_. Wait, his _what_? A voice in his mind whispered huskily, _Loshan, nim lani, ni shal nur'e Auramdas._ **(Yes, my love, I am your Auramdas.) **The words in his head washed over him like a gentle caress, and the urge to kiss Midnight intensified, throbbing in his head, in his teeth, in his heart, and between his legs. Kiss her have to kiss her dominate make her submit kiss her seduce her make her… his thoughts shifted into a strange, smooth language that wasn't English. _Heneshar_, yes, _loshan, _make her _sirmishar, make her burn, heneshar, tharish, make her beg for it_…. **(hunger…yes, yes… make her submit, make her burn, hunger, thirst, make her beg for it….)**

His thoughts raged at him. Then, sweet and cool as fresh spring water, a voice whispered, _kiss her later_. Kai relaxed, though not visibly. He could wait. 'Wait a sec! I shouldn't have to wait. I shouldn't want to kiss her in the first place.' With a curt nod in everyone's general direction, Kai swiftly exited the stadium. Because of Midnight's collapse, the match had been postponed until further notice. Seeing as it was fall, and hurricane season, that might be a while. That was good. Kai had some profiling to do.

**oo8oo8oo8oo8oo**

**_Read and review!_**


	2. Water, Blood, and Roses

**Chapter Two **

**Water, Blood, and Roses **

Kai forced his tense muscles to relax as he allowed the steaming water to rush over his naked body as he stood in the large shower. Sighing and leaning back against the ceramic wall, he slid down to the floor and sat there, his knees drawn up to his muscular chest. His eyebrows knit together in concentration, and he ignored the water dripping down his forehead from his soaking wet hair. He had a harder time ignoring the water dripping onto the tip of his hard cock, but he managed to ignore it. He needed to think. He was very, very worried.

He hadn't liked what he found in the police reports. Vladim Rasputin Tepees was his name. Apparently, crime had been his game until recently, when he became the manager of the end year Holiday teams, such as Team Christmas and it's captain duo, Angel and Christina, or Halloween's two captains, Winter and Midnight. The guy's reputation had Kai worried for the Scream Team's members, especially the little one who had thanked him, the little ghost-girl. That's what the announcers called her.

After leaving the stadium, Kenny had insisted on renting the video recordings of all the Scream Team's matches. They could only find a few, but they had learned a lot about the members of Team Halloween. One thing was that even though the man called Vladim Tepees was the manager, Midnight called all the shots with the team. No one listened to him without asking Midnight first.

The team was mostly little kids: a set of twins, Butterfly and Finn, and Finn's best friend, Wing; the ghost girl, Tannis, and her friend Wendy. There were the older boys: Julian Savage and his twin, Aidan, and their three friends, Aubrey, Quinn, and Ash. There were the girls: Midnight, Winter, and Jeshika. Then, there were the others, the occasional team mates who came and went as they pleased: Gabriel Daratrazanoff, four girls, Sarah Vida, Ravyn Arun, Caryn Smoke, and Deirdre Mayfair; the Irish twins, Tempest and Shea, and the a set of fraternal twins, Talan and Jaxxon. And of course, there was Vlad.

Kai quit rerunning his impressions of the team and went back to thinking of Midnight, that beautiful, haunting creature, with her strange, gorgeous eyes and long, raven hair, her perfect body and sensual voice. Were the rumors true? Could they possibly be true? But that was absolutely ridiculous. Vampires weren't real.

Kai kept thinking, though, of her as that mysterious Vampire Princess. It didn't matter how dumb it seemed. He didn't care. She was his Lady of the Night, the Vampire Princess. She fitted the part. She was… she was… his _Auramdas._ Yeah, his _Auramdas._ Whatever that was.

**oo8oo8oo8oo8oo**

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Vlad practically shrieked at the "Vampire Princess." His face was beet red, his jugular vein and carotid artery bulging from his neck. A vein throbbed disgustingly at his temple. Spit flew from his mouth.

'I hope that vein bursts, and you die. I hate you.' Midnight thought. A dark bruise was forming on her cheek, and her lips were split, bruised and puffy. Tannis was crying, a scared look on her face. Wendy kept her sheltered under her red bathrobe, both of them clad in pink nightshirts. The little girls kept their faces hidden from view, as Midnight had taught them. Their fear always only served to enrage Vlad further.

"Nothing, sir." Midnight replied softly, her voice dripping with obvious loathing. She sat up from where she lay sprawled on the floor. "I was simply scoping out the other team." Midnight tried to stand, but Vlad simply slapped her across the face again, knocking her to the floor with a thud. His unnatural strength frightened her. He'd taken that strength from her, from the blood he drained from her every night.

Julian tried to rush him, but as Wendy and Tannis held him back, Vlad clocked him in the left temple, and with one hit knocked him unconscious to the floor. He then turned back to Midnight.

"Scoping out the other team, huh? Little liar!" He grabbed her by the hair, hauling her up. He threw her against the wall, where she then slid to the floor in a boneless heap. "You little… street tramp! Get over here!" Midnight, rising shakily to her feet, walked towards him very slowly, as if approaching a rabid dog. If she tried to stop him from having his way, he'd hurt the little ones. She wasn't strong enough anymore to prevent it either, so she couldn't allow it. She wouldn't allow it.

Her defiance must have shone in her huge blue eyes, because the large, supernaturally powerful man grabbed her roughly by her vulnerable, slender throat, squeezing hard, his merciless grip leaving painful, dark bruises. She saw stars and tried to draw a breath, gasping. A haze of red descended upon her vision, and she started to lose consciousness. Weak as a human, that's what she was, weak as a human… Then, abruptly, he let her go. She collapsed to the floor, gulping huge lungfuls of air as her vision continued to swim. Her heart was thundering against her ribs with the force of a sledgehammer. She was weak as a goddamn human. That's what she was.

"Come with me, you disgusting, little slut." He whispered venomously, sadistically. His black-brown eyes were shining with anticipation. Midnight's stomach churned as she stood. She swayed on her feet, glanced at the maniacal look in his eyes, and shook her head. He knocked her backward onto the narrow game bed with a vicious backhand. She gathered her robe about her when it fell open. Vlad grinned. To the girls, he snarled, "Go to your room. Take that bag of shit with you." The two little girls dragged the semiconscious Julian into their room and quickly shut the door. Midnight tried to sit up, tried to sprint from the bed, but he moved with supernatural speed and shoved her back, pinning her to the bed. He quickly tied her wrists and ankles to the bedposts, leaving her open, vulnerable. Every time she tried to struggle, he socked her hard in the stomach, winding her completely.

"Pretty little thing, aren't you… you filthy, little harlot! Little Harlotta, come out and play."

"Get the Hell of me, you disgusting human scum, get _off_… **_NO_**!" She choked as his hands wrapped around her neck, squeezing, his fingers biting into the soft, vulnerable flesh of her throat. She whimpered as he whispered, "Pretty little Harlotta… pretty little whore." His hands slid down from her throat towards her breasts. His mouth crashed down on hers, and he gave her a disgusting, slimy kiss, shoving his tongue into her mouth. She bit down as hard as she could, severing the tip.

Vlad roared and flailed backward, falling off the narrow bed. Midnight, just to be vindictive, swallowed the wriggling piece of tongue clutched between her teeth. Vlad stood slowly, eyes wide and filled with terrible hate. He undid his belt and slipped it from the loops, snapping it. He raised his arm, and brought it down. The belt buckle smacked against her legs, then her stomach, up and down her body, over and over, roaring for her to give in and scream, beg for mercy.

Midnight gave a silent plea to her bitbeast, and Vlad was yanked back, with Stauss choking off his air. The Dunpeal gazed at his queen, then at her bruised, bleeding wrists and ankles tied to the bedposts. Under his blazing crimson gaze, the knots undid themselves and released Midnight.

She leaned over the side of the bed and spit, then wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her robe. Her lip was bleeding profusely, and her eyes were watering, tearing with anger and disgust. She hated Vlad. She _hated_ him! Still, she nodded to her dear Stauss, and he reluctantly released Vlad. It was against the laws of her People to kill him without first presenting him to the Council of Queens, or at least the Dark City Council. Damn him for that!

"Stay away from me." She snarled, baring her razor sharp teeth. "Just stay the fuck away!"

She bolted into her room and slammed the door, gasping for breath. On her pillow was a single red rose, a splash of crimson against the white. The note attached by a red sating ribbon read, "to the fairest Blader of them all, Snow White, from Phoenix." She remembered Kai whispering something about skin white as snow when they had been 'pathing to each other. He hadn't meant to, but being so inexperienced, she had heard the stray thought in her _Auramdas's _mind And Draanzer was a Phoenix beast.

She held the rose to her breast, close to her heart, slid down the wall, and wept as if her heart were breaking. She knew then that she would need Kai's help.


	3. A Daring Rescue

**Chapter Three **

**Daring Rescue**

****

"Hey, Kai. Kai. Kai! Kai, are you even in there?" Tyson waved a hand in front of his friend's blank face. Kai merely continued to ignore him. Max sat beside him, poking him in the arm over and over again, trying to get his attention. It was no good. Kenny just typed away furiously at his computer. Ray stared at Kai intently, trying to read his expression. Finally, he looked away. He didn't seem too certain, but then spoke confidently.

"Guys, leave Kai be for a little while." Ray murmured. Then all five boys heard a terrified shriek, followed by sobbing.

"Run, you two! Run, now!!" Kai leapt up from the curb to his feet. That was Midnight's voice. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. As the Blade Breakers tried to figure out where she was, they saw two little girls run around the corner of a building, stumbling and crying, and were quickly followed by three rough-looking teenage boys. Max let out a sharp whistle, catching their attention. Silvery white and golden blond hair with blue eyes told them it was Tannis and Wendy.

The two girls ran in the boys' direction, keeping well ahead of the three thugs. Upon reaching the boys, they dropped to their knees in front of Tyson, gasping for breath and tears running down their dirt smudged faces. They both cried out in fear, "Kai, it's Dara! They're going to hurt Dara!" Kai went white, then raced off around the corner to find his _Auramdas_. One of the three boys let out a sickening wolf whistle.

"Hello, my pretty, pretty pretties. You look good enough to eat." The tallest boy leered at the two little ones as they ran behind Ray. Tannis and Wendy peeped around him at the frightening thugs.

Tyson spread his feet and balled his hands into fists. Ray took a fighting stance, and Max pushed the two girls protectively behind him. They heard snarls, grunts, and thuds from the alleyway around the corner, but they paid it no heed. They had a fight on their hands, they knew, and they had to focus on their enemies.

"Why don't you mess with someone your own size?" Tyson challenged.

"Who, like you?" The shorter one mocked. "Ooh, whatcha gonna do, little man? Gonna fight us, are you, little man? You got some big balls." Tyson's fists were clenched so tight his knuckles were white against the rest of his tanned skin. He glared at the shorter thug, a boy of maybe sixteen, with black hair and violet eyes. Holy crap, that was freaky! His pupils were oddly elliptical, and his eyeteeth were oddly long and sharp. He bared his bright white teeth at Tyson in a sneering grin.

"Don't know who exactly I am, do ya, little man?" The other boy glared at Tyson, his face contorted with deep loathing and obvious disdain. He had white hair, with bright blue eyes, but he had the same elliptical pupil and strange eyeteeth. He hissed, "Wouldn't challenge us if you were smart enough to know what was good for you, _human._" The other boy was small, with carrot colored hair and golden eyes. He too had the strange eyes and teeth, but unlike the other two, he looked a bit nervous. All three of them made Tyson think of snakes.

"Jennan, Hakeem, I don't think this is a good idea! That was… she was a _Vaperia Eldimiaria_, **(Vaperio noblewoman)** man, don't you know what that means? If Seth finds out, don't you know what he'll do to us, man? _Karziraduna_, you guys!"

"Oh, please, Korri, that wasn't an _Eldimaria_, or even an insignificant _Sangrejian_, that was a _racrazoll_!" He sniggered, then fell silent when an icy voice murmured, "Take that back." Midnight stepped forward, Kai beside her. Her eyes were a bright gold, her teeth were long and sharp, her fists were clenched, and she looked positively murderous, despite the job that'd been done on her.

The whole left side of her face was a mass of bruises. The well-muscled midriff she showed off had a large, foot-shaped black bruise oozing green on her right side. Her chin was purple with a little white spot in the center, and her lips were split straight down the middle, puffy and bleeding. Her legs were bruised, her calves mostly. She looked really beat up. But the three boys cowered before her anyway.

_Kai,_ a voice in his head whispered, _they hurt me. They called me a whore. They tried to rape me. Hurt them, _anosha. _Hurt them._ As Midnight's voice breathed through his mind, another voice, the voice of rage and madness, roared at him.

_Viranoshimik!_ It screamed, and though he didn't quite understand the words, they served to enrage him further. _Viranoshimik phix nur'e amdas, nur'e Auramdas, nur'e lanira!! Viranoshimik phix nur'e eldi, phix nur'e diala! Ranzellar tseim!_** (Rival! Rival for your mate, your Auramdas, your lover! Rival for your lady, for your woman! Kill them!)**

Kai swiftly kicked one boy in the gut and then clocked him, effectively knocking the boy out. Midnight was slightly more vindictive. Glaring at the other two boys, she knocked their feet out from under them, kicked them right between the legs, feeling the delicate flesh and organs there give and crumble beneath her boot heel, then proceeded to kick them both in the face before letting them fall to the concrete.

Kai, as if moved by an unseen, unknown force, strode toward the leader, the tall one named Jennan. He knelt beside his quivering, bruised body, leaned in, and began whispering softly in his ear. Tyson and the others couldn't hear what he said, but Midnight caught the last part.

"_Razella makim nu, fid nu nor jakar digan a shea vamistol. Loshatelmi?"_ Jennan whimpered a reply, something like, "Yes, yes, just please don't…." Kai made a sound of disgust, kicked Jennan in the ribs, and stalked back towards the others. **(Death awaits you, if you ever lay a hand on her again. Understand?)**

Midnight hopped onto the jungle gym, pulling the two girls up after her. Kai, Ray, and Tyson both hopped up. Kenny climbed, and Max just pulled himself up from underneath. Mariah, who had been watching from an alley to see if they needed help, nudged Li, Gary, and Kevin, and they too took a seat on the top bars of the gym. Everyone stared at Midnight so hard she dropped her gaze to the ground.

"What? What are you all staring at?" Midnight murmured. Kai lifted her chin with his fingers, and she looked him in the eye. The others immediately saw what Kai had suspected from the first: her eyes held pain, sorrow, and a secret. Li, Ray, and Mariah smelled fear, disgust, and anger. She knew who did this, and it wasn't some punk kid.

"Midnight, who did this to you?" Ray asked finally. Tannis and Wendy both scooted closer to her. "Please, tell us." Midnight just shook her head.

_Auramdas?_

_Dara._

_Huh?_

_My name is Dara, anosha._

_What does anosha mean?_

_Beloved. It is another word for what you are to me._

_Is there another word?_

_Auramdas._

_What does that mean? And why does it do… _this_ to me?_

_Auramdas is our word, a word that makes your body realize its connection to mine. It makes you realize how your body feels, something that you tend to suppress. It lowers your inhibitions… with me._

_What does it _mean_, though?_

_You will know when you are ready to know._

_Who hurt you?_

_Don't ask me, anosha. He has power over me._

_What power? Who?_

_I…I cannot say._

_Why?_

_You are not ready to accept my true nature._

_What's that supposed to mean?_

_What it says. Suffice to say, he holds power over me, and because of him, I am…not as I should be, on the inside, where the heart is. I am…off, because of this power hold. And because of this, because I am not as I should be, you, anosha, are in danger. So, do not ask._

_Who hurt you, Dara? You have got to tell me!_

_I will not, I cannot. You must…let me do this on my own._

_The bond between Auramdasi requires trust, Dara._

_You have the language gift._ She was surprised at how quickly he was picking up the rules of Sanguinyte from her mind.

_Huh?_

_Never mind. You are right, Kai. I should trust you. I do trust you._

_Then tell me who this enemy of ours is. This…viranoshimik._

_He is _not_ viranoshimik! Do not think that, Kai! To believe this is to let something dark loose in your heart, in your soul, something you're not ready for! He is only an enemy, nothing more. Not viranoshimik. Okay? You must listen to me, he is not viranoshimik, he is _not_! Do you understand?_

_Why are you afraid?_

_Because…because someone like you, with the nature, the heart and the soul that you have, is dangerous when confronted by a viranoshimik, or someone they believe to be so. You must not believe Vlad to be this way._

_Vlad?_

_Yes, anosha, Vlad._

_His smell is on you. His smell…his essence is still…Dara!_

_Please, Kai, don't turn me away! I didn't want it, I promise! He…I…Kai, don't turn me away now, not after I've spent so long searching for…_

_Shhh, hush. Hush. It's alright, don't start crying, please._ Out loud, Kai said, "It was Vlad."

"What do you mean?" Tyson and them all stared at Kai. "What do you know about Vlad?"

"Vlad the Impaler, that was his nickname back when he was arrested, the name the press gave him."

"What was he arrested for?" Wendy asked meekly. But Midnight got it. She _knew._ She had always known, and she had only held out because she'd been looking for the one her parents had told her about. She hated Vlad, she despised and loathed him.

"_Uncle_ Vlad." Everyone but Kai stared at her. Max gave her a strange look.

"What's an 'uncle,' Midnight? The way you mean it?" Kevin asked.

"An uncle is someone who likes to play with little girls, Kevin." Disgust contorted everyone's features.

"He didn't… I mean, he hasn't… has he…."

"Don't ask what you don't want to know."

"What will you do?"

"Does anyone know about the Brotherhood of the Quill?" Ray, Li, Kai, Kenny, and Kevin all stared at her, open-mouthed. She couldn't possibly have that much hate, to be able to do something like that to him.

"You got the guts to do that, Dara?" Kai asked. Midnight smiled at him.

_You know how I can be, Kai. That's why I'm your Auramdas._

_I want to protect you._

_I can protect myself._

_But I…there's this…this urge, this compulsion-_

_It's our aura'tish-a-nkar'lania. _

_Our _what?

_Never mind, I'll explain it later. Suffice to say, I feel this urge to protect you, to be strong for you, as well. We can be strong for and protect each other. How's that?_

'_Kay._ He smiled at her, a warm, tender smile.

"I don't even wanna ask what that's all about." Max shuddered. Midnight dropped her smile. "But, Midnight, you got to tell someone. Tell my dad, or Mr. Dickinson, or Tyson's grandfather. But, you got to tell someone."

"Tell someone what, Carlotta?" Vlad was there, staring up at the teenagers. Wendy snuggled closer to her captain, and Tannis whimpered. The boys glared at him, and Mariah stuck up her nose and turned away. A shiver went through Midnight, and she felt an acidic burning through every capillary, vein, and artery in her body as her blood began to reject the sickening energy Vlad was sending toward her. The message was crystal clear: come down now, or he would make her so sick and hurting she would fall to the cement at his feet.

"Nothing, Vlad. Nothing." She murmured softly, fighting not to be sick. The burning deep in her body increased, and she gave a soft, strangled cry of pain.

"Didn't sound like 'nothing,' my lovely." Vlad smiled icily. Midnight whimpered. "Come down and we can talk about it." He murmured sweetly, cajolingly. Shards of glass were scraping against every raw nerve behind her eyes. "Then everything will be all right." Spikes of burning cold ice shot through her heart. She felt bile rise in her throat, and choked as she kept herself, by sheer force of will, from throwing up. This pain, this brutal, agonizing assault, had to stop.

Midnight leapt down. So did the other kids. "What's up, boys, miss?" he smiled again, grabbed Midnight's arm hard enough to bruise, and then began walking away. The aural poisoning continued. Tannis and Wendy began to follow, and then Midnight broke away and ran back, stopping only when she reached the boys.

Kai wrapped an arm protectively around her, and soothed her telepathically in a language he didn't know but somehow still understood and could speak. Ray, Li, Kevin, Tyson, and Gary all took a fighting stance. Kai was tense, ready to spring this way or that. Midnight was balanced on the balls of her feet, ready to step back. Vlad's cold, fishy smile faltered.

"What's this, Midnight? Got yourself a special friend now, do you? Tsk tsk. I thought I taught you better. Come here." Midnight took a step back. Vlad shot forward, dragging her back with him. He was on his guard now, and she couldn't break away, no matter how she struggled. He only drained what energy she put forth. He brought his arm back and slapped her.

Tannis took in a whistling breath through her teeth, and then she ran at Vlad, beating him with her little fists. All he did was snort. Then, grabbing her by the hair, he threw her to the ground. Her head hit the curb, and she lay still, not moving. Midnight gasped and renewed her struggle. Vlad's fist swung and sank deep into her stomach. She choked, gagged, and doubled over.

A voice in Kai's mind screamed in frustration and despair, _I am NOT supposed to be this way! This is NOT how I should be! This bond, this leeching of power, this is not right! _Kai!!

Rage boiled up in Kai. No one had a right to do this to his _anosha Auramdas_. How dare this… this… this _human_ touch her with his base, vile, _human_ hands!?

But wait… Kai himself was human. So why was Vlad's humanity so… so… so very, terribly, sickeningly offensive?

Ray rushed the older man and let loose a barrage of kicks. Kai and Gary were content to slug him. His grip on Dara loosened, and she crumpled to the ground. Kai lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the shelter of the jungle gym. He ducked beneath the "door" and set her down on the wood flooring inside. She coughed, choking, and spat blood. She wiped her mouth on the back of her sleeve.

"Kai…."

"What have you done to me?"

"I… only what you have done to me."

"What's happening to me?" _How can I talk to you like this, in my mind?_

_It is something you were born with anyway, and being one such as yourself, your mental talents have increased around me._

_Will it go away once you leave?_

_No. And I am not leaving. If I left…you would wish it otherwise._

_Dara…are you threaten-_

_NO!! I am not threatening you, nor will I ever. I am only telling you, that without outside assistance, your body, your heart, mind, and soul will let you realize that I should be with you._

_Why?_

_Because I am supposed to be with you._

_Am I…_

_You are supposed to be with me, as well. We are Auramdasi. It is…how it is, how it must be, and how it has always been, since as far back as I can remember._

_Well, that's not very long._

_Oh, hush, anosha, you know not of what you speak. They are hurting him._

_Yes._

_Good. You cannot join them. If you do, your rage will be such that you will not be able to stop yourself from killing him._

_Killing him?_

_Do you deny that this is what you wish to do to my enemy?_

_No. It _is_ what I want to do to him. Anyone that hurts you deserves death…what are you _doing_ to me?_ He cried suddenly, realizing what he had been saying.

_I know this is new. It is to me, as well. But I am not doing anything to you. What you are feeling…it is all you, not me. You know I'm telling the truth._

_I know. I want to hurt him._

_You also wish to tear off all my clothes, sheathe yourself between my thighs, and take me as completely and thoroughly as you know how. So what? Neither can be done at this time. Can they?_

_N-no. No, they can't._

_I want it, too._

_You want to hurt him? Of course you do, after what he did to you. _

_That is not what I am referring to, and you know it. _Kai turned bright red. _Desire, lust, sexual hunger…it is all part of the bond between us. Does this displease you?_

_Stop reading my mind, Dara, you know I'm gonna say no, I'm fine with it._

_I know. I just…thought I'd ask anyway._ They listened to everyone beating on Vlad until they heard four voices cry, "What in the world are you kids doing?"

It was Mr. Dickinson, Max's parents, and Tyson's grandfather. They were staring at the kids with disbelief. Midnight decided it was time to speak up.

"They were helping me." She stated as she crawled out from inside the jungle gym. Max's mother, Sara, gazed at the girl intently, her eyes taking in all the bruises. She then glanced briefly at Vlad. Her eyes widened.

"Is he your guardian?" Midnight nodded. "What is he to you, family wise?"

"My… my _uncle._" She murmured, her eyes a hard, hateful yellow. Rage and utter contempt flashed in her golden gaze. Sara glanced at Max questioningly. Max pointed at Vlad and indicated he was crazy. Sara blinked. Then, beckoning Tannis and Wendy forward, she kneeled down and murmured, "Is he really your uncle?"

"He's _funny_ that way." Wendy replied. Tannis nodded. Sara shook her head, confused.

"Funny as in he's funny in a ha-ha way or funny in a strange way?" She asked. The girls shook their heads.

"Neither." Wendy murmured.

"He's funny in a bad way. He hurts Midnight, and Winter." Tannis whispered, looking frightened. "He makes them cry. He hurts them, and they cry, and then he says he's sorry, and he says, 'Let's make up,' and he takes of their clothes and says, 'See, we're still friends,' and then… then… he's bad, he's bad, he's really, really bad!" Tannis screamed and buried her face in Sara's stomach. Sara understood.

"Mr. Dickinson, call the police." She ordered. Tannis and Wendy ran back to Midnight, who was leaning on Kai, breathing heavily. "So, that's where you got those bruises?" Midnight nodded slowly.

"She seems quite attached to the boys. Why don't you and your team stay with the White Tigers and the Blade Breakers for now?" Midnight looked hopeful. Wendy and Tannis wriggled.

"Yippee!" They cried, dancing up and down. Midnight sighed heavily. The grown-ups looked at her sharply. Kai caught her eye.

_Dara?_

_I feel really dizzy…_She gave an apologetic smile… and pitched forward. Kai and Ray caught her easily. She looked exhausted. Her eyes were fluttering. Her breathing was very shallow. Her eyes were shadowed, and she was pale and gaunt.

"She needs a night without worry, some sleep, and something to eat. Give me a sec." Kai said. He and Ray sat her up, but her head lolled to one side. "Midnight, we're gonna go to the stadium hotel and then we're gonna get pancakes." He whispered earnestly. Midnight gave a little half-smile and opened her eyes.

_Really, Kai?_

_Yeah, really. And then, we'll get a room, and you can lie down. I'll take care of you, I promise. You can get some rest._

_Are you sure it's rest you have on your mind, anosha?_

_For the most part, hot stuff._ She grinned, and closed her eyes.

_You got it, then._


	4. Talk Over Pancakes

**Chapter Four **

**Talk Over Pancakes**

"Why didn't you tell anyone what was going on, Dara?"

That was what the boys called her now. It meant "moonless night" or "darkness" in ancient Persian.

"He would've hurt the younger ones. We couldn't." Midnight turned and stared at the younger team members, who sat in a corner playing with their dolls. Butterfly, a little girl of four, was playing with her ballerina doll, Wendy with her ghost rag doll, and Tannis with her little Phantom of the Opera doll. Finn and Wing, best friends age seven and eight, whittled blocks of wood with their pocketknives.

"So, you stayed quiet to protect them. Who would you say he hurt the worst?" The policeman, Sgt. Mathews, was trying to get a testimony from Team Halloween. Midnight wasn't all to happy with that.

"Winter. He hurt Winter the most. Her, Finn, and Julian. But, mostly Winter."

"And, what did he do to you, Ms. Wolf?" Winter took a minute to gather her thoughts. Then, sighing, she answered. "Have you ever jumped out of a window? No, I didn't think so. Have you ever been assaulted while getting ready for bed? No, I didn't think you'd been. Well, I didn't exactly jump out of a window. I got thrown through a pane of glass out a window. Landed on my back on top of a dumpster."

"Did he ever sexually assault any of you girls?" Midnight held up three fingers. Winter held up seven. Mathews stared.

"That was yesterday, by the way." Julian murmured. Mathews' eyes bugged.

"You got to be kiddin' me!" Midnight shook her head. Mathews decided he ought to change the subject. "What about the little ones? They look awfully scrawny."

"Now, I wonder why that is. Oh, wait, I remember. It was because they had to skip breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the last three and a half days because Vlad made them train." Midnight snarled. "Of course they look scrawny. He starved them half way to death. He likes us skinny so he can tell which rib he's broken that day." Midnight took a sip of chocolate milk. It cooled her temper. "Sorry. I am slightly stressed today. Can the guys come out here now?"

"Why do you want them here?" He asked suspiciously. The only one there was Sara.

"Because, the kids trust them, Mariah and Winter are friends, and I really want Kai here." She gave him a wane smile.

"That's good." Kai murmured from his position behind Midnight. "Because I wanted to be here too." Kai sat next to Midnight, glancing at her questioningly. She nodded. Just then, Tannis ran up.

"Hi, Kai!" She glanced up at him hopefully. He nodded, and she popped up on his lap. Running his fingers through Tannis's silky curls, he stared at the police officer.

"How long have you two known each other?"

"Um. I'd say about three or four days. Why?" Midnight asked curiously.

"Well, you seem pretty close for only four days. Have you ever met before, at a tournament or something?" Mathews inquired.

"Yeah. As a matter of fact, we did. Before I joined Halloween, I used to practice with the Blade Sharks every once in a while. Three or four times a year, I'd go to the warehouse and use their dish. Kai battled me a few times. We never managed to beat each other. But, all we'd do is say, 'Hey, wanna spar with me?' and the other would say, 'Sure, why not?'" Midnight shrugged. Mathews gazed at her shrewdly.

"So, you maybe saw each other perhaps once or twice a year, max. For about how long?"

"About an hour, maybe two. But, that'd be the maximum." Kai said.

"Uh-huh. And, why would you want Kai here with you for this if you only hung out only occasionally?"

"We've been hanging out more over the past few days, and the kids seem to really like him. And. he's a nice guy." Midnight noticed Kai blush a little.

"Uh-huh. What would you consider a nice guy?"

"I don't know. Um, well… he'd be handsome… always considerate of others, has a cool temper, determined, and very sweet, in his own way."

"And Kai is all these things?"

"Yeah, I guess so." She shrugged again, slightly embarrassed. Kai blushed harder.

"Has Kai ever... hurt you, Ms. Vaperio?"

Midnight's head shot up. Kai's face remained expressionless.

"You are one sick-minded individual, aren't you!? Kai would never hurt anyone unless he absolutely had to. He most certainly wouldn't hurt me, no matter what!"

"You're so sure of this guy who you maybe don't know as well as you think you do." Mathews murmured. Midnight sat back.

"If Kai hit me, I'd tell you. Trust me. He can't hold the kids over my head like Vlad could, because he can't stick them back into some crummy orphanage and beat the snot out of them like Vlad could. So why don't you stick with your criminal, not your witness. Jerk." Midnight was getting extremely agitated. _How dare this… this scumbag of a cop come and try to hurt Kai!? Kai's a gentle as a lamb in spring time. That's why…._ Midnight broke off her thoughts before she wandered into dangerous territory.

"Well, that's all I have to say. Contact me if you think of anything else."

"Go away." Midnight said casually, as if the cop were far, far beneath her notice. The cop left, and Midnight, emotionally and physically exhausted, laid her head on Kai's shoulder. Kai stiffened, but then relaxed, and laid his cheek on top of her hair.


	5. More Talk, Kisses, and Truth

**Chapter Five **

**More Talk, a Kiss, and the Truth**

"So, what are you guys gonna do now?" Mariah asked. Winter shrugged and Midnight looked up from her reverie, up towards the heavens. Kai and the others gazed at her questioningly.

"I don't know. We can't go back to Holiday, the company's crawling with people like Vlad. That's why we have so many 'helpers.' Volunteers. They get paid. We're the payment." She snorted with disgust. "Could we... maybe... stay with you guys? We'll stay out of your way, and help around."

"Yeah. I can clean your rooms. For 50 cents of course." Tannis gave a squeak as Midnight rapped her on the head with a pencil. "What? What the heck was that for!?"

"You guys can stay as long as you like, no payment necessary. Right, guys?" Max asked. Everyone agreed. Midnight grinned.

"Thanks, you guys."

Kai flashed her a little smile before returning to the brooding, scary team captain of normal. Midnight noticed Butterfly, Finn, and Tannis gazing up at him in adoration.

"So, we stay with the others? Yay!" Wing clapped, then hugged Ray around the knees. She seemed to have a crush on him.

"This calls for a celebration." Mr. Dickinson cried genially.

"With food?" Tyson exclaimed. Everyone stared at him for a minute.

"Yes, Tyson, with food." Mr. Dickinson left, followed by Tyson and Rei to make sure he ordered the right food, and Max to keep from being bored. Gary was busy being referee to Kevin and Li, who were sparring. Mariah, Winter, and Julian were all in a corner talking. Kai had already left.

Midnight looked around, trying to find him.

_Ah-ha…._

And there was Kai, gazing out at the Pacific Ocean over the balcony. Midnight, not wanting to interrupt, began slowly backing away from the entryway, but stopped when Kai spoke. "It's beautiful, isn't it? The sea, I mean."

"Yeah, it is. Mind if I join you?"

"No." Midnight, hoping he meant no, he didn't mind, walked casually up to the banister. Kai didn't bat an eyelash. "So, what is it about the sea you like?"

"I like the colors, how they're always changing. The sea is always different, it's never the same for longer than a split second. It reminds me of you in some ways." Kai murmured.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You're kind of mysterious, and you just... confound the mind, confuse the senses."

"I do that to you? I'm sorry." "Are you? Don't be. Confusion can be a blessing in disguise, sometimes." He said. Midnight turned to look at him, wanting to say something, but unsure how.

"Kai, sometimes I feel... I don't know, but with you, somehow I always feel safe." Midnight whispered. Kai shivered with wonder.

_What is she?_ he wondered silently. _She's so strange... no, not strange. Different. Not to mention divinely beautiful._

"Really? I'm always feeling unsafe with you. It's like the floor could drop out from under me at any moment, and it would shatter something like a dream, and I'd wake up."

The bond between them twinged, and he slipped an arm around her shoulders. He couldn't _not_ touch her, not now.

"Sometimes, we have to wake up, Kai. Sometimes, it's necessary to face reality."

Kai smiled a little and shook his head. "No, not with you. You have some kind of... I don't know, some kind of power, that makes life a living dream. I never want to wake up from it."

"And, I don't want to either, but do we know what we're rushing into? Winter once told me that love is a leap only the inspired can take."

"Midnight." Just her name, only that, rolling off his tongue like the sweetest honey. She melted into him. Resting her head on his chest, his arms around her, she drew a shuddering breath. He was so perfect...

"Kai, I don't know if I can leap, even if I am inspired." Midnight whispered softly. He lifted her chin up, and she stared into his eyes, so sweet, as pure as dusk. She lost all fear. Kai loved her. There was no way he could look at her like that and not love her.

_I'll be there to catch you, you know. My Auramdas…_.

She gazed up at him for a brief moment, and then closed her eyes. She felt his warm lips against hers. His tongue, slick and warm, traced over her lips and teased them apart, sweet and inviting. He kissed her, and began drowning in the sensation of lightning crackling along his skin, heating his blood. Midnight returned his kiss, giving Kai the impression of innocence and wisdom spun together in tangled web of love, lust, and secrets. He broke off.

"What is it, love?" he whispered kindly. "What's the matter?"

"I haven't told you everything. I... I'm not who I seem." Kai's heart jumped. She couldn't possibly be... the thoughts in his head echoed with truth.

"You... you're not human!" Kai exclaimed in a whisper. "If not human, than..."

"You know who and what I am. You know."

"Is that what you were worried about?" Kai asked, incredulous. Midnight nodded. "I could care less if you were a banshee from Hell, Midnight. I honestly could. Midnight, I love you." Kai blinked, taken aback by his own words.

"You don't regret saying that, do you?"

"No, Midnight, never."

"You promise?" Kai nodded. She smiled.

"So, what's it like? Being a vampire?" "Sometimes, it's the most wonderful thing, other times, it's a curse. Often, it can be scary. I hate it."

"I think I understand. Midnight, you won't have to be that way anymore."

"I've been doing it so long, I don't know if I can stop myself. Kai, I-"He silenced her, kissing her lips with a compassionate gentility unlike any Midnight had ever know. She broke away, smiling a little at his puzzled glance. Kissing his jaw, her lips whispered over his throat until a blinding, wondrous pleasure pain coursed through his body. The vampire girl had never tasted such ecstasy, such enticing sweetness. Kai clutched her to him, and gave a little gasp as she sank her fangs deeper into his skin. He moaned, quaking with pleasure. How could this feel so... heavenly? Her mouth on him was driving him nuts.

_My darkness... my beloved midnight darkness…._ Kai whispered into her mind. Withdrawing her fangs, Kai brought her lips to his again, and tasted his own blood upon them. He ravaged her lips and mouth with his teethe and tongue. Sucking and coaxing her tongue into his mouth, he bit down, drawing blood. Dara whimpered against his lips. There was so much pleasure in the sound. This could go on forever...

"Kai! Where are you, Kai!?" Tyson's voice rang, startling them both. Kai swore to himself.

"Count on Tyson to have a talent for bad timing!" Midnight whispered, trying to make him smile. He smiled, kissed her, and then walked back toward the door.

"Don't come back in for a couple minutes, or through a different entrance." Kai instructed. Midnight gave him the ok. Vanishing into the mist, she floated to the ground below, slipped under the door, glided quietly to the room, and then reappeared silently.

"Hey, guys!" Everyone smiled but Winter, who frowned disapprovingly. Kai gave her a wave. Things would be like this for a while, she knew. But, she had had a talk, a kiss, and the truth.


	6. Vampire's Kiss

**Chapter Six **

**Vampire's Kiss **

"Kai…" A dark, velvet voice in a haze of pain. "_Kai_…" His entire body was scorching with pain, his muscles binding, knotting, and tearing in bursts of agony… but that voice, so beautiful… so soothing. But, Trygle… that stupid bit-beast had nearly killed him.

Midnight bent over Kai's too still body, fervently praying to the vampire goddess Raksha and her brother Ravanna. Her eyes scanned his body, noting the deep cuts, the lacerations from the talons, and the torn muscles. The All-Star team would pay for this. She would rip out their throats and drain their blood into the ocean.

Letting the blood trickle from a wound in her wrist, she watched the wounds close on Kai's body when her blood struck. "Kai, come on… don't you _dare_ die on me, buddy!" Her breath escaped when he opened his eyes, his wounds fully healed. Then she noticed two deep scratches, one at his throat, and one crossing his arm. Interesting thoughts began running through her head.

"How'd you find me?"

"I felt your pain, in my head. I tracked it here, and found you."

"Neat trick."

"Thank you. It hurt like hell. What happened?"

"Better question: What happened to you?" So he'd noticed her bruises. Like an idiot, she'd gone to get her stuff from the Holiday head quarters in Las Angeles, and had run into Lotho Boggier. She wasn't gonna tell Kai that, though. She could handle a few broken ribs. She'd done it plenty of times.

"Nothing. Now, you're not completely healed, so hold still, and close your eyes." She lowered her mouth to his arm, bathing the cut with her tongue, tasting Kai's sweet, adrenaline-laced blood. Kai gave a strangled cry when her fangs sank deep into his flesh, washing his body in delicious heat. Her mouth feeding from him made Kai want to scream.

Sweeping her tongue over the pinpricks her teeth had made, and noting the scratch was perfectly healed, she kissed Kai's jaw, and then buried her long, needle-like teeth into his throat, taking a very long time to take very little, savoring the taste of his skin under her lips, his blood flowing into her mouth. She closed that scratch, and the pricks in Kai's skin.

"Am I healed now?"

"Yeah."

"Damn." Midnight smiled, asking, "Why?"

"Because that was about the closest thing to Heaven I've ever felt. What the hell was that?"

"Vampire's little kiss of death."

"Ooh. Question?"

"Mmm?" Midnight snuggled up to Kai, who kissed her cheek.

"Why the 'kiss of death?'" Midnight then sighed, murmuring, "Because it's a lot like… you _know_, and the word we have for _that_ means 'living sweet death' in English. Also, if I really wanted to, I could turn you into a vampire that way." Kai stiffened. "What? What'd I say?"

"Would you?" He asked softly. Midnight looked confused.

"Would I what?"

"Turn me into a vampire?"

"I can't. It's forbidden by our gods. Lady Raksha was quoted as saying only those who are dying may be changed, or those who are life mates. The problem with that is, that a person can be life mate to someone, and soul mate to someone else. It's rare, but it happened once. That was scary."

"Why? What happened?"

"A vampire named Daimon was in love with a human, Marina. Unfortunately, his life mate, the woman he was chemically bound to for eternity, was a vampiress named Felicity. He didn't love Felicity, he was just tired of waiting for his soul mate. Unfortunately, then she said the binding words without his consent, and so when Marina came along, we had a hell of a lot of problems. For one, there was my cousin, Shan. When she was nineteen, we had to transform her because she was dying. It was something about her vampire cells attacking her human ones or something. I wasn't even five at the time. Also, after Marina and Felicity were both murdered by vampire hunters, Daimon went crazy, tried to kill Victor, his son, and also almost killed Shan's soul and life mate, Jeremy."

"Whoa."

"Come on, you shouldn't be too light-headed now. We need to get back."

"Sure, Dara."

"Hey, you never did tell me what happened."

"That kid from the All-Stars attacked me."

"Thought so." 


	7. Kai vs Daimon

Chapter Seven: Kai vs. Daimon

"Okay, it's a great day at the Beystadium, isn't it, Brad?"

"You said it, Jim! This double-teamed tournament is cooking. The Blade-breakers and the Scream Team are going up against the Dingoes and the All-Stars. Can it get anymore exciting?"

"Well, now that miss Midnight Vaperio is back in the game, we're gonna see some action! Who's starting off, Brad?"

"Well, Jim, going up against Justin and Daimon is Midnight herself paired with the Blade-breaker's highly skilled Kai Kaido!"

"Midnight has a big job ahead, but her bit-beast Dunpeal can probably handle it, teamed up with Kai and his beast, Draanzer. It's been rumored that Kai and Midnight have come up with some new attacks, including Midnight's 'Shadow Cobra Bite,' and Kai's 'Mystic Phoenix Sniper.'"

"Still, the Dingoes' leader has his own attack, 'Hyena Shriek Echo,' along with Justin's 'Golden Dawn Whirlwind Attack.'"

"According to rumor, Justin's father, Nikosolae, and Midnight's mother, Jagguar, went head to head in this same tournament twenty years ago. Seemed they had a personal grudge or something."

Midnight's dark eyes were haunted, shadowed, and Kai was worried. So were the others. When Kenny asked her what was the problem, she just shook her head. "I'm fine, Kenny, honest." Then she stiffened visibly.

"Hello, my lady. I simply wanted to meet you. I am-"

"Justin. I know. Why would you want to meet me?" Midnight could easily read his thoughts, however, and her stomach churned as they washed through her mind. Justin was a vampire hunter, one who only went after the females. He raped and tortured his victims before finally driving stakes through their hearts. His father had been the one to kill Marina and Felicity, the 'personal grudge' the announcers had mentioned, but Justin had tortured them first, extensively. He knew what she was. She knew what he was planning. Midnight had to get away from his twisted, sickening mind, or she'd be sick on the spot.

"Excuse me, please." She rushed from the bench out into the hall, sending a silent compulsion for Justin to go away. She felt a hand on her shoulder, but she jerked away and spun around. Kai looked down at her, startled.

"Dara…"

"Kai, can I have a hug?" At first, he thought about questioning her first. But she sounded so scared, so helpless, that he had to embrace her.

"Are you alright?"

"Hell no."

"What's wrong? What did Justin do?"

"Kai, he's a vampire hunter." Kai looked incredulous. "And before you ask if I'm sure, yes, I am, I read his thoughts. He's an extremely disgusting psycho-bastard. Which is actually true, he's the son of one of his father's sex slaves."

"His father keeps-"

"Victims he knows aren't vampires but the other hunters think are or just don't care about." Midnight sighed softly, her head against Kai's well-muscled chest.

"Come on, Dara. We need to get back."

                        *          *          *          *          *          *          *

Kai glared hatefully at Daimon and Justin when he and Midnight stepped up to the dish.

"Hey, you think you can beat us?" Daimon cried at Kai. Midnight growled low in her throat, so that only the other vampire could hear her.

"Watch it, Daimon, or I'll tell Alex you're fraternizing with humans again!" Her words flashed through his mind, along with a wave of feminine contempt. Psychic fingers brushed her cheek, but she glared malevolently and they ceased.

"Bladers, assume position!" Kai glanced at Midnight, who nodded slightly but didn't smile. "Okay, 3… 2… 1… let it riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiippppp!" The four blades zipped into the dish, spinning so fast they were simply blurs.

"Hilyena, give them the Hyena Laugh Echo attack!" A shrill, grating laugh filled the air, and the sound waves, glowing violet and black, pounded into Kai and Midnight's Beyblades, shoving them back towards the edge.

"Stauss, Star Beam Dagger Cut!" A blade of silver light fell onto the opposing Beyblades, knocking them off balance. Kai heard Midnight gasp, and turned, amazed. She stood there, her chest heaving, hand to her heart, looking very pale and tired. The light from the battle was doing her more harm than not.

"Midnight, maybe-"

"I'm fine, Kai. Let's do this. Stauss, Blooded Fang Strike!" The cobra of black blood flew down upon the Justin and Daimon's blades, which started to slow down. Daimon raised his head and caught Midnight's eyes.

"Draanzer, Mystic Phoenix Sniper attack! Black Devil's Fire Dart!"

"Hilyena, try Tartaran Agony Attack!" A black and violet creature, somewhere between a human and a jackal, leapt forward from Daimon's Beyblade. Stauss came up from Midnight's bit-piece, an Old Worldly "man" with black hair and black eyes. The jackal-woman leapt forward, slashing at Stauss's throat, chest, and stomach, catching at his skin with her claws. Midnight gave a small cry of pain. Kai glanced at her sharply, saw that the flesh around her shoulders and collar bone were torn and bleeding. Her eyes smoldered hatefully.

"Stauss, I- ahhhhhhhhh!" Kai stepped in, crying, "Draanzer, Mystic Abyss of Eternal Fire!" At this, a red cape-like thing, like bat wings, spread from his shoulders, wrapping both Trygle and Hilyena in its folds. At first, gold and violet light flashed through small openings in the feathers, but they grew fainter and fainter, until the stopped and the blades whirled to a halt.

Midnight began falling, but Kai caught her and helped her to stand up. She looked so worn out, so tired. The deep scratches on her shoulders and arms weren't bleeding too badly, but he knew they were hurting her. "Let's go. The others can take care of the rest of the tournament." He whispered to her softly, and they walked back to the bench.

"What happened, Dara?" Ray cried out, astonished. How had she gotten those scratches?

"It was Daimon's attack. His beast inflicts injury both on the defending bit-beast, and it's partner. I'll be alright. Kai's gonna take us home, okay?"

"Sure, if you think it'll help. Don't worry." Kenny murmured softly.

"We'll bring you a treat when we get back." Max smiled kindly at her. Midnight had to laugh. She murmured, "Thanks," and Kai helped her out of the building. He didn't notice the dark-haired teenage boy following them.

"Going somewhere, Dara? That is your nickname." Midnight stopped about twenty feet from the door, slipped out of Kai's grasp, and turned around slowly. "Why, Dara, how you've grown. So much more beautiful than that gangly little brat from ten centuries ago."

"You idiot." Daimon's face flushed angrily when she insulted him. "Don't you know a girl's age is best left a mystery? But that's beside the point. What do you want, Daimon? I'm not talking to Alex about letting you go home, either, if that's what you wanted."

"Why? What have I done?"

"You failed to protect your life mate, you left her alone after she'd given birth to a child, and you let your soul mate remain human and allowed her to be killed."

"I needed to find Marina, and couldn't let Felicity know about it. Of course I left her. But I left her in the protection of Erych and Byron. As for Marina still being human, Felicity said she'd kill her if I tried to claim her as a life mate."

"You know you could have brought her before Alex and Jaycen, but you didn't. You are beneath contempt, Daimon Norco. You are unworthy of the name _vampire_. Not even a mere _nosferatu_ or _icarus _can you be called. Go away."

"How dare you? Simply because you are Alex and Jaycen's sister, you have the cheek to deny me?"

"I dare quite easily, Daimon. As for my bloodline, I am older than both Alex and Jaycen by half a century. I simply do not rule our people because I have better things to do, such as Beyblade."

"Be careful, Lady Midnight. I'm sure neither Alex nor Jaycen want anything to happen to you. Good day."

"You did well against him in the match, Kai. I'm proud of you." Midnight murmured softly as Daimon walked back inside.


	8. Finals: Blade Breakers and the Scream Te...

Chapter Eight: 

Finals: Blade Breakers and the Scream Team vs. the Dark Bladers

"3-2-1- let it riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiippppp!" Tannis's milk-white Beyblade fell into the dish, spinning so fast it looked transparent. The bit-piece glowed white, silver, and black. Pushing aside a stray corkscrew, the little girl grinned triumphantly over at Max, the blond teenager who was her partner in the double-teamed tournament.

"Okay, Phantom, kick that stupid Beyblader to the curb! Yeah!"

"Go, Draciel! Triple Shell Shark Attack!"

"Phantom, Banshee Song Sound-Wave Cannon Ball attack!" Scott and Oz, their two opponents, gave cries of alarm as their Beyblades flew out of the dish and landed at their feet.

"Joanna and Max's blades are still spinning! Winner of the second round is the Blade Breakers and the Scream Team!" The announcers cried.

"All right!" Max cried, his sky-blue eyes flashing. He turned to see Tannis dancing her victory dance, crying, "We are the best-est! We are the best-est! Oh yeah!"

"Having fun there, Tannis?"

"You betcha! Uh-huh!" The five-year-old girl danced all the way back to the bench, singing, "We are the champions!"

"So, now that Tannis is done doing the 'Hippity-Hop,' where are Kai and Midnight?" Julian cried in agitation.

"Maybe she's still to weak." Max answered.

"No. She looked fine when we got home yesterday. A little shaky, but those scratches had healed. Wait... how the-"

"It's a Scream Team thing. We all heal fast." Every gasped when they saw Midnight, walking toward the bench, looking absolutely gorgeous. She wore a black silk skirt, along with a white shirt with bell sleeves and a really small fish-tail. Her black hair was pulled into a braid, which hung over her right shoulder. She looked about ready to kill something with that dagger/launcher she had hidden up her sleeve.

"Glad to see me?"

"Wow! Is that new?" Kenny cried.

"No, I wear it for all the finals I've been in. Kai, would you hurry up? Hustle, stop being the moody, broody team captain who slug-walks all the time." Kai slug-walked up behind her. It seemed nobody knew they were in love, and both wanted to keep it that way.

"What took you guys so long?" Dizzi asked.

"We ran into Daimon." Midnight shrugged carelessly.

"That guy from the Dingoes? You know him? How?" Ray asked.

"He was the boyfriend to a friend of mine."

"Did they break up?" Tyson asked.

"No. She was murdered." Everyone fell silent, and then they heard laughter.

"Midnight, if you're so gifted, try reading my mind. Please?" Justin cried. Midnight smirked to show she _still_ thought he was an idiot, but then the human boy's thoughts pushed into her mind. He was deliberately taunting her with his memories, especially the ones of Felicity and Marina's deaths. She squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her fists.

"Kai…" she whispered breathlessly, "Kai, make him stop!"

"Why don't you get lost, Justin? Or are you such a sore loser that you wanna try me again?" Midnight's contact with the human snapped, and she opened her eyes. Now all she felt was Justin's fury and his wounded pride. He didn't understand how the vampire bitch had managed to keep from totally transforming. Her fangs hadn't even gotten any longer. He knew she was a vampire, but he also knew that wanna-be blader had some kind of hold on her human-like aspects. If Justin could get her to kill him, or better yet get him to kill her, he'd have a lot of fun.

"See ya around, Midnight." His tone was friendly, if not sarcastic, but Midnight heard the thought running through his mind: _Daimon and I can't wait to have _you _over_. Midnight glared malevolently, and then gave Justin the intense impression that a 30-pound bowling ball had dropped on his foot. His scream of pain ripped through the stadium, and Midnight allowed herself a brief flash of grim satisfaction.

"What did you do?" Kai asked her softly.

"Nothing. The pain is all in his mind. Literally."

"Why did I ask?" Kenny gave a whistle. He and Winter were grinning from ear to ear.

"Guess what? Guess what? Guess what?" Kai had to smile, if only a little, at the antics of Wendy, Tannis, Butterfly, and Finn.

"We won the tournament, I'm assuming." Kai said.

"Yep, we sure did!" Tyson cried. "But it was really thanks to you two."

"Us?" Midnight echoed, confused. "Why us?"

"Because you took on the roughest, toughest players on the teams." Max said. Kai shrugged, muttering, "Sure, whatever."

"Huh. I never thought of that. Don't worry, I won't let it go to my pretty little head. I promise."


	9. Kidnapped

Chapter Nine: Kidnapped

            Midnight lay on her back, breathing evenly, asleep. Kai stood watching her for a few minutes, her beautiful, aristocratic face bathed in moonlight. He leaned against the door-frame, just watching her, when Ray came up behind him.

            "I knew it." He whispered softly. "I knew you liked her."

            "So," Kai murmured, equally as soft, "are you gonna tell the others?"

            "Nah. They aren't as observant as I am, nor would they believe it. She's pretty, isn't she?"

            "Beautiful." Kai whispered, almost too himself. Midnight could do so many unexplained things to him, warm his heart with her smile, heat his blood with a look, make him lose control with that wicked kiss of hers. He became lost in his own thoughts, and Ray left him alone. Finally, a little past twelve, he slipped into bed, and dreamed of her.

            Justin and Daimon crept into her room, Daimon issuing a compulsion to sleep, very subtle so as not to awaken Winter or Julian to his presence. The scent of chloroform kept Midnight under, but her mind stirred faintly when she caught the brush of darkness beside her. _Daimon._

            Justin lifted her up and flung her over his shoulder, and was about to leave when a sharp pain made him cry out. Then, he shouted at Daimon, "Put her to sleep! She's awake!"

            Daimon shoved the soaked rag over Midnight's mouth and nose, and her eyelids grew irresistibly heavy. Midnight shook her head, trying to clear it. She couldn't let this happen! Where was Kai?

            _Kai…help! I need help!_ The smell of the drug was overpowering but she tried again. She had to find Kai, wake him up. Blackness hovered at the edge of her vision, and she stared up at Daimon's hate-twisted, triumphant face. _Kai!! Please, wake up! Kai!_ He was under compulsion, and so were the others. Her eyes zipped over her room, looking for something to write with. Seeing nothing, she jabbed one long talon into her wrist, letting the blood pool on the floor. She'd lost about a cup when Daimon grabbed her arm and swept his tongue against her skin, healing it. He didn't notice, or most likely care about, the pool on the ground. Using strict mental abilities, she formed the words, "Daimon. Justin. Taken. Pier. Hells Beach." Darkness nearly overtook her as the two boys carried her into the car, but before she fell, she screamed out one last psychic word:

_Kai!_

                                    *          *          *          *          *          *          *

Kai.

_Kai!_ The teenager sat up abruptly, staring around wildly. What had awoken him? Something wasn't right. He stepped out of bed, stole quietly down to Midnight's room. She was gone. From what he could see of the message, those two buffoons had taken her to Hell's Pier. Wonderful. He'd need Ray's help at least, and that might mean explaining to him about vampires. Not something he looked forward to. When he tried to wake Ray up, however, nothing worked.

            'I guess I'll have to do it alone.' Kai thought to himself.


	10. Torture and Death

Chapter Ten: Torture and Death

            "You're disgraceful, princess!" Daimon threw her into the wall and she landed in a heap on the floor. "You fell in love with a human! Aren't you supposed to fall in love with one of your _own_ kind?"

            "You freaking hypocrite. I'll fall in love with whomever and whatever I choose." Midnight struggled to stand, tried to push herself up to her knees, but Daimon knocked her back onto the floor.

            "You will now, will you? Has no one explained pain to you, princess?" Withdrawing a wooden knife with a silver tipped edge, he straddled her waist and pulled one of her wrists up into the pale moonlight. He slashed through the vein on her right wrist and latched his mouth to it, letting her blood flood his mouth. She felt darkness where his lips touched her skin, and then she felt tired, exhausted. Daimon heard her heart stutter, skip a beat, another. 

Sweeping his slimy tongue over her wound, he cut into his own wrist, let his dark, tainted blood drip into her mouth. The taste burned her throat, left her skin crawling and her stomach churning, but every cell in her body cried out for that blood, needed it because she was so close to dying. Daimon gave Midnight a fourth of what he'd taken, enough to let her live, not enough to satisfy her hunger. When that boyfriend showed up, she'd finish him off herself.

Daimon put Midnight under a subtle compulsion, so she'd sleep until that idiot mortal came along to "rescue" her.

                        *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            Kai saw Midnight, slumped over on the pier, unconscious. But getting to her would've been too easy. Something was up. But what?

            "Go get her." A voice said. Kai whirled around to face Daimon, who grinned at him sardonically. "Go get her." He repeated.

            "What did you do to her?" Kai snapped at the vampire angrily.

            "Me? What makes you think I did anything? By the way, you have until two o'clock in the morning, which is in about ten minutes, to get to her or Justin there throws her over the edge and she drowns. Saltwater is very bad for vampires, you know, especially if it's cold. Too bad for you it's the middle winter. Now, if I were you, I'd go get her." Kai growled in frustration, and ran up the length of the pier to his girlfriend. Daimon had to smile when the mortal boy trustingly held the princess against him, her head far to close to his throat for safety.

            _Midnight, wake up and feed._

            "Kai… Kai, you have got to get away from me! Daimon… he's done something to me, you have to get away!" Midnight whispered. "Go! What are you waiting for?"

            "I'm not leaving you. That's the whole point of me coming in the first place." Midnight tried to push him away, trying to block out the sound of his heart beat, the smell of his blood.

            "Kai, please go! Please! I don't want to hurt you!" Her eyes fluttered open, the centers glowing red, and Kai felt drawn into them, as if he were drowning in the fiery light of her eyes. Her fangs sank deep into his throat, draining him, exhausting him. Kai's blood ran into her mouth, down her throat, reviving her body. Kai moaned softly and went limp in her arms. Healing the wound, she pulled her head back, a cry of anguish ripping from within. 

            "Kai, I'm sorry. Please, forgive me!" Laughter echoed around her, and she lifted her head from Kai's precious face to Daimon and his evil expression. "You bastard."

            "Such language, my lady. It's not my fault, you know. You warned him. He wouldn't listen."

            "Get lost, before I tear out your throat." Daimon disappeared, and Midnight blocked him from her mind. "Kai, open your eyes. Please? I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen."

            "D-don't cry, Dara." Kai's beautiful blue eyes opened slowly, and he gave her a wan smile. "What did you do, anyway?"

            "I… I bit you. None too gently, either. I'm sorry. This is gonna seem really disgusting, but… you'll die if you don't drink my blood." She looked about ready to faint, her skin pale.

            "What about you?"

            "I'm fine. I can hunt. You can't. Come on, Kai, you need this. Don't make me force you." Kai sighed, and nodded. "It might help if you close your eyes." He obediently shut them while Midnight tore into her wrist. Kai's mouth latched onto it as her warm blood trickled down his throat. She knew what he was tasting. Vampire blood was like soda with a cupful of sugar mixed in, very sweet and a little thin. Kai needed all she could spare him. When his color returned, Midnight whispered softly, "Enough, my love." Kai released her, swallowed the last dregs, and looked up at her.

            "That wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be."

            "It never is with a real vampire. Come on. You'll be a bit wobbly, so go slow." After the pier stopped shifting under their feet, Midnight grinned mischievously at Kai. "Wanna get home fast?" He nodded. "Hold on." Everything twisted and blurred around them, and then Kai felt solid concrete under his shoes.

            "What did you-"

            "Don't ask. Go inside, drink some milk, and go to bed. You need to sleep for a while. I'll be back in an hour."

            "Where are you going?"

            "I need to… get something to eat. Okay?" Kai grabbed her hand as she started to walk off.

            "Please, be careful." He kissed her softly, and went inside.


	11. Justin

Chapter Eleven: Justin

            "What are you doing in here?" Justin cried, shoving back his dark red/maroon hair. "Answer me, demon!"

            "I'm came to see the debt paid. Come here." Justin took three steps forward and stopped.

            "No! Murderous leech!" Justin reached into his pocket to find a large silver cross.

            "Come. Here." Justin could do no other than obey. He stood before the ethereal being, and tipped his head back. "I wouldn't drink your blood if you were the last man on Earth. Your debt to me is paid as of now." Blood-red nails slashed across Justin's throat, slicing open the jugular vein. "You almost harmed my soul mate. That is unforgivable." Midnight then turned to Justin's apprentice, an emotionally unstable boy named Brandon, who stared at her with stark terror.

            "I will not hurt you. I only seek sustenance. Please come here." Brandon stepped forward, looking indecisive. Midnight didn't want to use compulsion. She would let him come of his own free will. Brandon bared his throat.

            "Hurry up and get it over with." Midnight laid a reassuring hand on his arm.

            "You will feel nothing, I assure you." Midnight let her teeth puncture the artery, but felt no pleasure as the lifeblood drained into her mouth. She took a quart, healed the wound, and helped Brandon sit down. "When I leave, call the police and tell them your friend is dead. Leave me out of it. I can help you with this if you need me to. After you call them, drink some milk, and eat something, preferably protein. It will help with your weakness. Do you understand?"

            "Yes. I… why didn't you kill me?"

            "To kill without just cause goes against a vampire's code of honor. Justin tried to kill me, as well as trick me into harming my soul mate. He tortured my sister, and my friend. I had just cause when it came to him. But tell no one of me. Do you swear?"

            "I swear."

            "Be brave, Brandon. I'll come see you again, perhaps."

            "I'd like that." She kissed his cheek and shooed him to the telephone. She walked back down the street to the hotel where the team was staying. Although her clothes were clean, her hair was soak in blood, and she felt dirty. Grabbing a black towel and a black outfit, she undressed and stepped into the warm shower.

            The water swirling down the drain was red, and she was reminded of the differences between her and Kai. She had almost killed him. But she couldn't leave him. Soul mates eventually die of sorrow once they find each other. Besides, he knew now not to contradict her when she was starving. Still, she worried about him, and the others. She didn't want to become a night demon. Kai would stop her from doing that. But, if he were hurt… if Kai….

            Midnight leaned against the ceramic tiles and cried vampire tears. 


	12. Blood & Lust, or Just Bloodlust?

Chapter Twelve: Blood & Lust, or Just Bloodlust?

            "Midnight, rise and shine!" Winter's sarcastic voice floated through the door. Midnight groaned, shouting, "Shut up and go away, you annoying werewolf!" Winter opened the door, shut it behind her, and sat on the bed.

            "What's the matter, Dara? You look so pale." Winter's silver-white hair brushed over Midnight's face, tickling her nose.

            "Cut it out, or I'll cut it off. I'm just… hungry." The other ghoul stared at her.

            "When was the last time you went hunting?"

            "Yesterday.

            "Yesterday?" Winter echoed. "But you shouldn't be this hungry and weak if you fed yesterday."

            "I didn't take enough. Daimon came, drained me, almost killed me. Kai came to help, and I almost killed him. Replenished him, true, but by then I was so tired and weak. I went to find one of the assassins, killed him, released a boy from his mind grip. Used his blood, didn't take enough."

            "You're an idiot! You went after-"

            "Wolf, shut up. I was weak from Daimon, nothing else. Is Kai up yet?" She nodded. "Could you send him in?"

            "Before I do, I wanna say something."

            "Say away, girlfriend."

            "You are aware that Kai is human, right?"

            "Yeah, so?

            "Midnight, he's mortal, and you've already exchanged blood. You can't make him your life mate, because when he dies of old age, you'll die of sorrow! Gods below, Dara! As if you didn't know that?"

            "If he agrees to be my life mate, then I can convert him."

            "Don't tell me you're seriously thinking of converting him!"

            "Why not?"

            "Girl, he's mortal! I love Kai. We all do. But you can't be serious! Midnight, you're less than a millennia old! You can't possibly be considering claiming him!"

            "Winter, what would you do? If you were absolutely sure he was the one, would you let him slip through your fingers simply because he was mortal? Be honest."

            "Midnight, a vampire's life is hard. You can't force Kai to accept that. It's different, being a werewolf. I mean, you're only a ghoul for five days. Think about this, now. You are the most level-headed girl I know. I know you can't be serious!"

            "Wolf, listen! You saw what happened to Daimon. When Marina, his soul mate, became a vampire, everything was great!"

            "Yeah, and then she was killed, and Daimon went nuts! If you convert Kai, he'll live with that danger the rest of his immortal life. Is that what you want for him?" Midnight didn't answer. "Is it?"

            "No. No, I don't want him to have to go through that. But… Winter, I nearly killed him! Every moment he lives, he's in danger. Separating us wouldn't change that, and you know it. I can't not consider it." Winter sighed heavily, nodded.

            "Okay. I see your point. How many times have you exchanged blood?"

            "Once."

            "Three more times, and he's _vampire._ You won't be able to change him back again."

            "I know."

            "Hey. Hey, girl." Winter put an arm around her shoulder. "I know this is hard for you. Talk to Kai, see what he says. Okay?" She nodded. "I'll send him in." The older girl stood and walked out. Midnight dropped her face into her hands, so consumed with her thoughts that she didn't hear Kai knocking.

            "Dara? What is it?" Kai looked on her, a picture of utter dejection. She lifted her head, fastened her eyes on him. The next thing she did startled him greatly. She started to cry.

            "Midnight? Tell me, please. Why are you crying?"

            "I can't keep doing this."

            "What?"

            "Being in love with you. It puts you in danger." Kai sat next to her on her bed, noting how pale and tired she looked.

            "We'll get through that. We'll put a stop to Daimon." Midnight shook her head slowly.

            "You don't… understand. You shouldn't have to live like that, in constant danger."

            "Well, there's gotta be something I can do."

            "No. The only way to keep you safe is to make you a vampire, and no way am I gonna even try that!"

            "Why? I'm willing to do it if it means we stay together." Midnight looked up into his eyes, deeper than ocean. He meant what he said. He would give up his humanity for her. For _her._

            "Are… are you sure?"

            "What have I got to lose?"

            "Well, nothing, but it can hurt. I don't think-" she stopped talking when he kissed her. He held her slender, elfin face in his hands, tender, gentle. His tongue traced over her lips until they parted, allowing him entrance to her mouth. She tasted like honey, cinnamon, a vortex of sweetness. He pulled away, gasping for breath.

            "I'm willing if you are. What do I do?"

            "Nothing yet, except tilt your head to one side." Kai arched an eyebrow. "Trust me." Midnight's gaze roamed over his beautiful, peaceful face, then looked closely at his throat. No bruises from their previous exchange, no mark.

            She flicked her tongue over his pulse once, then sank her teeth deep into his throat, letting the rich human blood, laced with adrenaline, flow into her. Kai's mind was whirling, trying to escape the spinning wheel of pleasure ripping through him. How could she cause such sweetness? He felt, distantly, her hands caress his bare chest, and come to rest over his heart. The sound of it thundered in Midnight's ears. Always, Kai lost himself in the ecstasy of Midnight's deadly kiss, sundered from reality, thrown recklessly into heaven.

            Sweeping her tongue over the wound, Midnight pulled back from him, looking into his eyes as he beheld her, her fangs pressing into her lower lip, her eyes mere slits of black in gold, a normal look for one who has fed well. Making a deep cut on her throat, she let Kai make the decision, let him come to her for her blood. His mouth on her skin was torture, made her want to scream so loudly the windows shattered. His hands clamped down around her shoulders, holding her still. A thin trail of red spilled from the corner of his mouth. He bit deeper, moaned while he pulled her lifeblood into his mouth. She was all richness and sweet edge, her essence, her _life_ being given for him, so they could be together. 

He sensed when to release her, and closed the wound before falling back onto the bed, gasping. Midnight laid herself down next to him, looked up when he rose up to a sitting position. Kai turned to her slowly.

"I hear your heart, beating slowly. I see your eyes, so much clearer, blue and violet like twilight. I want… I…."

"Kai, kiss me again. Please?" His mouth fastened onto hers. His tongue thrust into her mouth, hard and aggressive. He could taste his blood in her mouth, taste her. He wanted her so badly… so much. Midnight's arms wrapped around his neck, and she smiled.

"We… we shouldn't go too fast. You'll need time to adjust." She murmured against his throat. He grinned at her.

"I'm adjusted." His body brushed against hers suggestively. "Very adjusted." Just then, both of them heard the sounds of the others waking up from the compulsion sleep. Kai looked at her wistfully. "We could…"

"Uh-uh. Not until you're full fledged. And Kai? Ni lani nu, Kaiaden."

"What does that mean?"

"I love you."

"Then… ni lani nu, Dara."       
 


	13. Mysterious Happenings: Demon's Fury

Chapter Thirteen: Demon Fury

Midnight smiled at the erotic image Kai slipped into her mind, gave a soft laugh. She heard him think, _Like you don't want me._

_If I do, Kai Kaido, it's because you're… something. Hotshot. Now hush and stop teasing, I do sleep, you know._

_You don't want me, then?_

_Oh, do I. Now stop with the pictures. You're gonna start something you can't finish._

_Intrigued. I guess hunting comes…_

_It doesn't. With me around, you won't need to hunt. Now, let me sleep. I can't believe my body's this tired._

_Such a nice body, though._

_Will you _stop?!_ Midnight cried out in his head, laughing. _Go to sleep! Okay?__

_Okay._ Kai sounded wistful. _You don't know what you're missing._

_I'm well aware. Sleep!_

Midnight fell onto her bed, to exhausted to bother with her clothes. Still, even though her body was tired, her mind whirled.  Through the entire day, Midnight had been thinking about Kai, the sound of his heart, the feel of him under her mouth… the sweet, masculine taste of his blood. She had wanted to finish the conversion, to taste that blood once more, but if taken too fast it could make Kai sick for days.

A creak on the floor boards outside of her room made her wary. The boys wouldn't be creeping around, and the creak was very slight. Only a vampire would have heard. Well, maybe it _was_ the guys… she sniffed gently. The scent was strangely familiar. It wasn't one of the Breakers, or the Tigers. It wasn't someone from Halloween. Where had she known that scent before? She listened, focusing on the entity outside. There was more than one of them. 

She tried slipping into their minds, for no matter what they were, they had minds, but found herself unable. The shield they used was a familiar pattern, but why would this being… these beings, know it? Wait a second. Wait just a minute! No way… it couldn't be them. Probably a stray ghoul she'd met. Who on earth could it be? The handle on her door began to twist gently. Midnight leapt to her feet with a predatory hiss, nails blood red and razor sharp. Her pearly fangs glistened as they lengthened to press into her lips. Her eyes glowed a hellish red as her pupils narrowed to slits. The rest of her teethe grew sharper, but not longer, and she clenched them tight. The door swung all the way open, and the vampire gasped, "What are _you_ doing _here_?"

            *                                  *                                  *

"Justin, my servant and partner… he will join us soon. Then, _they_ shall fall." Black, blood crusted talons tapped lightly, reverently, on the glass lid of a large box. "My true love was slaughtered through _their_ fault. But, soon my love… soon, we shall be avenged. Our son, our daughter, and us… very soon _they_ shall be brought down, down to their knees." Another being stared at it's master.

"Will we begin now?"

"Yes, we will. Justin, come forth back to us." In another place, cold blue eyes snapped open. "Come back, my servant. It is time for our vengeance. Their end is nigh. Come forth to us. Bear witness to the end. The final end of the Vaperio royal family."

                        *                                  *                                  *

            Brandon stirred from his sleep as a loud cracking issued from his kitchen. What in the name of his Dark Savior? (This kid's pathetic, he thinks Midnight's God.) He quietly got out of bed and stole silently down the hall. There was someone in his house. He could feel it. Their presence was making his skin crawl. He would call the police. Yeah, definitely. He heard another explosive crack, and another. Three loud smacks echoed throughout the house.

            He heard a dull thud, and another, from the living room. His hands began to shake. He stopped by the front door and picked up his favorite baseball bat, a good, solid weapon. Brandon trembled violently, fear clawing at his heart. He stopped briefly when he heard a weird sucking noise. He heard it three more times, then it ceased. He shivered as he heard a strange _drip, drip, drip_ noise. He prayed he'd forgotten to turn of the water in the sink.

            He peered into the family room and proceeded to bite off the tip of his tongue in an effort not to scream. He spat the useless muscle on the floor. He swallowed several times, and managed not to retch at the obscene sight before him. His parents lay in a sticky red pool, slit open like cadavers, their intestines strung out in a circle around them on the floor. Their eyes were missing.

            He walked numbly into the kitchen, dropped the baseball bat. His three older sisters lay on the floor, their heads twisted at impossible angles, eyes glassy. He threw up in the sink, choking on the blood from his tongue. When he finished, he sank to his knees, head down.

            He didn't know how much later, but Brandon felt eyes at his back, and spun around just as a silver-tipped dagger came whistling toward his heart. The boy screamed as the blade tore through flesh and bone.

Oooh, cliff hanger. Who's after Midnight's family? Will Kai remain true to his decision to be a vampire? Who's in Brandon's house? Will Brandon survive this encounter?

Okay, first, I want to say, I'm not telling. Second, thank you for those who have sent me ideas for this story. Thanks bunchies!

Next chapter, we discover: Will Brandon be rescued? (Only I know. It's so unfair, isn't it?)


	14. Attacks and Healing

Chapter Fourteen: Attacks

            Midnight shivered as she looked on her unexpected visitors, feeling uneasy. What was wrong with her? Was Kai in trouble? A quick psychic probe told her the half vampire was fine, sleeping soundly. So why was she so uneasy? An invisible fist settled around her heart, and panic began tightening in her chest. Closing her eyes, trying to fight the irrational emotion, she immediately realized what was going on. Murder, she thought, and grief. What on earth…. A familiar psychic touch brushed against her mind. It was male, and human, familiar. _Brandon._

            "Where do you go, Dark Lady?"

            "To the aid of one under my protection."

            "A human? A _male_ human?"

            "Get over it, Alexander. I owe this human my protection, he's in danger, and you're wasting my precious time. I remind you that I'm older and far more powerful, you know." The vampiress crossed her arms in front of her chest.

            "I am no fledgling, Midnight Vaperio."

            "Nor am I." She hissed in anger. "Let me pass. He needs help."

            "Very well. We will follow."

            "That's your prerogative."

                        *                                              *                                              *

            Brandon whirled around and screamed in fear. The knife came whistling toward him, and he knew he could not escape it. His eyes darted immediately to his attacker, and he gasped. "You!" The blade flashed, and Brandon cried out as a dark shadow inserted itself between him and the knife. A cry of pain shook him, and the silver glinted twice more before the being before him lashed out. "Lady?"

            "You bitch!" The blade made a sick sucking noise as it slipped in and out from between her ribs.

            "Fuck off, hell bastard, or you're dead!" She slammed a fist into the side of his head, and his temple depressed an inch.

            "Wrong again, devil whore!" Midnight slammed Justin back against the table, twisted his wrist completely around, and slammed the knife into his abdomen. She twisted the weapon around, brought it up through his body to his chin, and pulled it out. Her clothes were splashed with blood, but she paid it no heed. She watched Justin fall to the floor, dead and lifeless. She spat on him.

            "Was I so wrong? Oh!" She hit the floor on her knees, her palm pressing against her stomach. Brandon realized his goddess was bleeding badly, from the knife wounds to her torso. "Mmm… Alex…" Brandon put a hand to her shoulder, but jerked back as her snapped up, her eyes blood red, her fangs bared. She relaxed upon seeing who it was. "Hello, little one."

            "My lady, you… you saved me."

            "Of course I did. Ah!" She struggled to her feet. "You are under… my protection…" She staggered a few feet, then straightened. "Brandon, come with me. You are no longer safe here."

            "Of course, my lady."

                                    *                                              *                                              *

            "Hello, princess." Brandon moaned, but didn't move. Midnight wondered if he was even going to survive this next encounter with her enemies. She prayed to Raksha and Ravanna that he did. "Been a long time."

            "Fuck off." She was callously thrown into a wall, and her skull cracked against the stones. "Leave me… alone." The rogue laughed, slamming a fist into her stomach. She spit blood in his face, and his fury shone in his eyes.

            "I'm going to enjoy breaking you." He straddled her hips, fingers curling around her throat and squeezing. Her vision dimmed, but then she could breathe again as Daimon swore, jumping to his feet. He lifted something off his back, threw it to the ground, and began hitting it. "Filthy human, disgusting mortal!" Brandon… Alex…

            Suddenly, Daimon stood and ran as a streak of gold raced after him. Midnight heaved herself to her knees and crawled to the lifeless body of her mortal. He was alive, but barely. She couldn't heal this much damage. She didn't know how. Only the Dark Twins knew how to do this, them and the Smoke witches, neither of which were handy. Brandon's breath gurgled in his throat as he opened his eyes. "Lady." He whispered lovingly. Midnight began to cry.

            "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I only meant to protect you."

            "Shhh. No… no crying." He coughed, and she sobbed harder. He didn't deserve this, he was only a child. He was just a little boy, younger than Kai, so young. _Lucian, Gabriel… where are you two?_ Instantly, a voice brushed her mind, gentle and sweet, whispering, _Little sister? You have need of us?_

            _Yes._

            _Then we will come._ And out of the darkness, out of the mist and cold, came two predators, eyes black as jet, hair past their shoulders in dark horsetails. They were broad shouldered, tall, and powerful. They glided through the night, searching for her. _Midnight._

            _Lucian… Gabriel. Brothers…help him._

            _Get away from him, and we shall._ She put Brandon gently on the ground, and Lucian went to him, power radiating from within as he began the healing chant. Gabriel came to her, but Midnight shook her head. If he caught her brother's scent on her, Kai would feel vampiric jealousy. Males were not allowed to touch another male's lifemate unless absolutely necessary, and even then, the male didn't like it. Kai would take care of her. Lucian lifted Brandon, and vanished. Midnight knew he was taking the boy to Caryn. She sighed, relieved, and passed out in Gabriel's arms.


	15. Unanswered Problems

Chapter Fifteen: Unanswered Problems

            "Midnight Vaperio, stand up!" Midnight rose from her chair and glared at her twin brother, Mithainde. His dark blue eyes flashed fire, and Midnight nearly flinched, then reminded her he was only worried, not angry.

            "Andy?"

            "Why did you risk your life for a human?"

            "What is it with the males in this family claiming humans are beneath notice? They're not, or have you forgotten the human murderers who killed Mother and Father? The traitor who employed humans to kill Felicity and Marina? The scientists who came up with the dratted paralyzing venom? Well? I'm waiting. Hmph. Didn't think you had a response."

            "You're only defending their importance because of that mortal you love so much." Midnight clenched her teeth, trying to remain calm. She detested Mithainde's snobbery. His tone, his expression, when he spoke of Kai was infuriating!

            "Kai is half vampire now, Mithainde Vaperio. Show him due respect, for if you recall, I am older even then you. He has my blood in his veins, the blood of ancients. I am the oldest living vampire alive, my brother, save Lucian and Gabriel, who were born at the same time as I. Will you mock the one you swore loyalty too? The vampiress known as the Ancient One?"

            "You're only trying to pull rank to shut me up, _O Ancient One._" That was a reminder that all that separated them was about thirteen or fourteen minutes. Midnight stuck her tongue out at him. "You see? I am correct. I will respect the mortal, Kai, if you pretend you're not quite so ancient and wise, angel face." Midnight smiled and hugged her brother, who was so much larger than she. While Midnight retained the appearance of a gorgeous teen super model, Mithainde (meaning "unknown night" if you want to know) had the appearance of a fully-grown Greek god. Midnight relaxed into her brother's usually quiet strength and pressed her face into his chest.

            "Little darkling, you are tired." It was not a question.

            "Yes." She was that. Even finding her soul mate hadn't changed that. Kai kept her anchored to this world, and usually she didn't mind, but just then, she was tired of living. "I've lived too long. I'm tired of it. Even with the powers of our kind, the world loses pleasure after ten hundred thousand years."

            "Does Kai know this?"

            "Kai is… he's too young to understand. It's strange. Only when I'm away from him do I feel the differences between us. I've experienced so much more. In truth, he is only a baby. But I only see him as such when we are apart."

            "From experience that you don't have, little night, I will tell you this. When you fully convert your soul mate, the joys they experience are enough to make you happy, and you see these ordinary powers of ours in a completely new light. I will tell you this, also, if it will give you respite. There is a way to become human, that our father discovered not so very long before you were born."

            "That was such a long time ago, when I was first a child."

            "You're just bored being stuck at sixteen for seven centuries."

            "If Kai heard you say that, he'd be very… well, it would come as a surprise. You were saying?" She sat down in her chair again, highly interested. A way to become human…

            "Father has it written down in one of his journals, but…"

            "But what?"

            "You will not use this on yourself until Kai has had at least a century as a vampire."

            "But-"

            "Shush. Think how this will affect you. You are the eldest. Your people may have need of you. You need Kai, do you not?"

            "I'm going home."

            "As you wish, sister. Good night."

*                                              *                                              *

            "Dara, where have you been?"

            "Kai, I need to speak with you." Kai flinched. Her voice was different, just as sensual, but… it felt like ice crusted velvet. He mentally shook himself. She was the same, there was nothing different. He hoped.

            "What is it?"

            "I've found… my brother has told me of a way that… that I may become human. That you, a half vampire, may return to your original state."

            "But-" She held up a hand for silence, ordering majestically, "Listen to me. Do not interrupt. I can't turn you into one of… into a vampire, Kai, I can't. You don't know what it's like. The constant hiding from humans who wish to destroy us, the hunting of night demons, vampaneze, rogue vampires. Kai… you _don't_ want to be a vampire, believe me. I thought, if I was with you always, you wouldn't mind the hardships, but… but it's just me being selfish, I see that now."

            "Dara, you're the most unselfish person I know!" The vampiress snorted, muttering, "You think. Everything I do has an ulterior motive, beloved mortal, everything. Nothing I do is ever not for me in some way. I always serve my own ends, no matter what. Do not mistake me for the angel of your dreams. Rather, think of me as your nightmare incarnate, for I am she."

            "Dara-"

            "Do not say my name like that! I can't think straight when you speak to me like that. Don't…"

            "How do I sound, that you're so upset?"

            "You sound so worried, so loving… be quiet. My decision is final. I'll change you back, change myself…"

            "No!"

            "Kai-"

"It's not just you worried for me, is it?"

"No, it isn't. No. No, Kai, I… I _want_ to be human. I so want to be human." She wanted to be human? To be preyed upon by the very beings she hunted? Why? She protected the world from evil, made the night safe. She had the world and the most godlike power at her fingertips. And she wanted to be a mere, pathetic human? It didn't make any sense at all.

            "But, Midnight, your powers, your immortality… why would you want to give that up?"

            "Why? _Why!?_ Because I'm _tired._ I'm sick of seeing the humans that I care for grow old, wither, and die, while I remain young. I'm tired of the hiding from those who would hunt me down and slaughter me for something I can't change, and I'm tired of the hunting of my old friends and family, and I'm sick of the constant danger to the ones I love. I can't stand the danger to you, who mean more than anything in this world to me. I'm tired of living the life of an immortal. I've lived far too long, longer than almost any vampire alive, or any that have died. 

I have seen countless friends die, their children and their grandchildren and their great grandchildren, and I am tired of it! I'm the only one of the four ancients who has ever felt for a mortal that died. My brother and my cousins only care for their lifemates, and Gabriel for his daughter, Tamora, but I have lost thousands upon thousands of friends, have lived to see the beginning and growth and destruction of entire civilizations, and it's all the same. 

Nothing changes at my age, I've seen it all, and I can't stand it anymore! I've lived too long to have to live much longer. None but my twin and the Dark Twins have lived this long, none. 

My father… Raksha's Daggers, Kai, my father was less than half my age when he died! He was killed at four centuries, when I was only a little girl. My mother took care of me until my twin brother came of age, and then she went out to meet the dawn. She was less than a full century. I can't do this anymore, Kai, I can't! I'm ten fucking hundred thousand years old! I can't live forever, I can't! It's too much!" 

She hadn't realized at the time that she was crying, but she felt clear, diamond tears falling down her cheeks. She fell to her knees, sobbing in pain. She'd never spoken her resentment and sorrow at the long, lonely life she had, but now she had done so, and she could not stop crying. It just wasn't fair, it wasn't, why could she find no joy in anything anymore? She sat there, sobbing and rocking herself back and forth.

            Kai was shocked. Midnight only cried when she was very upset. He hadn't meant to make her so with his idiotic questions. He went to her side, unsure if he was welcome. Midnight's eyes were glowing rubies, feral and pained, and Kai knew she was in utter despair. She wanted to be human, but she wanted him to have the immortality he wanted. She was so stuck…

            "I'm tired, Kai, I am…" Kai's arms were around her, and she sobbed into his shirt, "I'm so tired of this life, this eternal night, the hunting and killing and losing everything…" He hushed her, holding her close, rocking her gently. His hand rubbed her back soothingly, and eventually her sobs quieted. In the silence, Kai became aware of the sound of her heart beat, of her blood rushing through her body. Sharp hunger spread through him, as Midnight's heart pulsed in her chest. He could hear it, like a drum. The sound of her blood surging throughout her form was a symphony to his highly sensitive ears. He wanted to taste her blood so much…

Kai's eyes were glazed, going from their gorgeous blue to golden, cat like. Midnight looked up at him, into his eyes, and her eyes in turn became languid, golden pools with slitted pupils. She could hear his heart beating, throbbing, the rich scarlet blood pulsing under his skin, calling to her. Midnight's own life's blood was a sweet temptation to Kai. Their lips met, but then Kai's mouth was at her throat, his tongue swirling lazily over her frantic pulse. "Kai…" Fangs lengthened, sharpened, and Midnight's breathing hitched when his teeth scraped over the flesh of her throat. She forgot the sorrow and death in her long life. All there was was Kai's mouth and fangs. "Please…" 

White-hot pain flashed at the base of her neck, and then Kai was feasting on that sweet life, holding his soul mate close. Her hand went to the nape of his neck, exerting only a small amount of pressure to keep that delicious mouth feeding. A thin trickle of blood rolled from the corner of Kai's mouth, but he paid it no attention. He continued his gluttony. Midnight's warm blood flowed over his tongue and down his throat. Light was flashing in the back of his mind, and they were both lost in their own little world. Kai pulled back after healing the wound at her throat. His lips were wet with fresh blood, his fangs glimmering in the dull lamplight. He gazed at her, his eyes roving over her face. Midnight's body cried out for a simple taste of that almost human life force…

He kissed her, harsh and demanding. The demon Midnight knew lay dormant sprang to life. Their tongues warred for dominance, but Kai forced her submission. She didn't care. She never wanted this kiss to end.  


	16. Decisions

Chapter Sixteen: Decisions

"Explain to me why we came back to America after the World Championships? Why not go back to Japan?" Tyson demanded, trotting to keep up with Kenny, who was walking as fast as he could. "And where are we going?"

"I want to see what Kai and Midnight are doing." Kenny murmured, holding his laptop to his chest and jogging faster than Flash Gordon. He didn't expect Tyson and them to understand, but he suspected Midnight was… what? _A blood-sucking leech, a queen of the undead._ And Kai was in her grasp, possibly having his life's blood sucked out of him at this very moment. How did he know Midnight was a vampire? He'd put the pieces together.

Fact one: Midnight couldn't stand strong light, and often wore dark glasses unless it was cloudy or she was inside. Fact two: she'd never had her picture taken, because she couldn't. Vampires weren't photogenic, their molecules moved at such a strange frequency that they disrupted the technology of the camera. Fact three: everyone who had ticked Midnight off had mysteriously disappeared.

"Kenny, can I talk to you for a minute, please?" Ray grabbed him by the back of his shirt and hauled him around the corner of the hallway. "Kenny, what's your problem?" Kenny swallowed hard and shrugged. He could tell Ray, he'd think the Chief was flipping out, losing his marbles. He couldn't tell him Midnight was an evil demon with a thirst for human blood.

"Kenny, I'm reading your thoughts." Ray crooned in a sing-song voice. "You must stop thinking such things, truly, you must."

"Ray, you're freaking me out." Ray turned his gaze on Kenny, and the younger boy stepped back. "Ray? What are you? Are you… one of… one of _them_?"

"My mother, who died, she was a quarter vampire. There's nothing evil about Midnight or her kind. She's a nice person, who's tired of being hunted by the people she tries so hard to protect. You wanna see something almost sickeningly sweet and cute?" Kenny swallowed and nodded. Was this one big evil-blood-thirsty-zombie conspiracy, or was Ray telling the truth about Midnight's goodness?

"Does… do vampires have souls?"

"Midnight has fallen in love, so I'm assuming she does. You can't be in love without one, so…" He shrugged. Opening the door to Midnight's room, Ray nodded towards the bed. Kenny looked in and his jaw dropped.

Kai lay on the bed, his skin positively glowing, sprawling out over the black comforter, breathing evenly, asleep. His lips were slightly stained with fresh blood. On his chest, eyes closed against the soft lamplight, arms wrapped around Kai as far as she could, was Midnight. Her soft, shimmering black hair was splayed all over both of them, and Kai's fingers were tangled in the thick, dark strands. Her face was pale, and there was blood on her lips as well, but also a few stray drops at her throat. Luckily for Kenny's state of mind, they were wearing clothes. _So he hasn't slept with her._ Kenny felt slightly elated, but not as much as he would've thought, considering he was worried for Kai's eternal soul. Then, it struck him. It really hit him how Midnight wasn't evil. He had no idea why, but he realized Midnight was innocent of all demonics, all evil. She was good, really good. He saw them, Midnight and Kai, not as a potential threat, but as two friends in love. True, there was blood in potentially evil places- vampires were evil, but Midnight wasn't, no- but, for some reason, Kenny didn't care about the blood splashing the pale, white flesh. He realized how beautiful Midnight was, and how much Kai loved her, as they lay there together, in the comfort of each others' arms.

"Time to wake them up."

"What? Why? Let them stay like that, they're happy!" Kenny exclaimed. Ray smiled, murmuring, "We need to discuss some things, Chief, that concern the two of them."

"Does Max know?"

"He is… this is going to sound very strange, but he's… he's related to her, by marriage."

"Get out!"

"No, seriously, his sister Alexandria is married to one of Midnight's brothers."

"And he kept his mouth shut this entire time… am I the only person on the team who's fully human?"

"Max is."

"Oh. Okay. Hey, they're waking up." Midnight stirred, looked up at them, demanding softly, "Why are you spying on us?"

"They're not," Kai murmured, gently moving her off, "they need to talk to us, and I think Kenny was planning on driving a stake through your heart, love."

"Wouldn't have worked, Kenny. You can't kill a vampire so easy."

"How do you kill a vampire?"

"My mother died of blood loss and exposure to the sun, but one must be very weak before the sun does damage. Human blood protects us from the sunlight. Go figure." She shrugged, settled herself at the window, looking out into the darkness. "So beautiful… anyway, what's up?"

"The championships are over, what do we do?" Ray asked.

"Actually…" Midnight trailed off. Everyone looked at her. "I received a letter from home."

"Yes?"

"I need to go back there."

"Why?"

"I was… requested. By my twin, and two of my cousins. It seems…" She gently brushed their minds with her own, to see what she could say, "it seems the night demons are massing an attack force against my homeland in the Carpathian Mountains, and that all the vampires of the world are needed, for there are more of the enemy than there are of us. I… I am the oldest of our kind, it is my duty to lead the war from our side. I've had battle experience, and I know how to deal with them."

"You have to… to… all by yourself? But, Dara, you can't! You're going to need help." Max exclaimed. The vampiress sighed, asking, "And who would help me? I know you all would, but you can't, all but Kai are mortal, or mortal enough," to Ray, "that you would fair evilly."

"But you said…"

"Yes?" She asked softly when Kai didn't finish. He swallowed hard and continued, "You said there was a way for vampires to become humans? Then, make all of us vampires! No, wait, hear me out, Dara. Turn us vampires for the war, make us human after. Is there anyone we know who could help out, too?"

"Sanguinex and his clan, Lupinex and his pack, Winter's pack, Senotaph and his court, Natilae and her people, the Dubrinsky clan, the Daratrazanoff clan… the Dark Clan, my family, all of them… Robert and the vampires of London, Oliver and the vampires of Paris… Johnny and the Sidhe… we have quite a lot of people I hadn't thought of. I'm not used to relying on any others besides vampires."

"What other beings would help?" Kenny asked curiously, fingers poised over his keyboard. He could input all this data, give them odds, lists, etc. He waited for Midnight's answer as she thought.

"The werewolves, the Icari, shifters, witches, ghosts, the Faye, the Sidhe, the people of Eyrie, wizards if they'll come, though they normally don't take sides, the Night Breeds, distant cousins of vampires, the Dark Goddesses, um… damn, hang it, the Court deChalise! Of course! A group of psychics and just plain weirdoes, that congregate in Paris. They're led by an immortal, Morgainne… my cousin, actually, though by marriage, not blood…." 

"Then, we have things that need to be done, people to contact-"

"Leave that to Kai, Ray, and me."

"How can you three do it?"

"Actually, Chief, I can do it myself. Hang on." In the four corners of the world and beyond, a great mental call was heard, in the Heavens, on Earth, and in the Sea, a dark, majestic voice full of desperation:

PEOPLES OF ETERNITY, PEOPLES OF NIGHT, PEOPLES OF MAGIC, HEAR ME, MIDNIGHT VAPERIO OF THE VAMPIRES! YOU ARE NEEDED IN CARPATHIA! IF YOU HAVE ANY REGARD FOR MY PEOPLE, COME AND AID US! I… I BEG YOU ALL!  SPECTRES, ELVES, FAYE, WEREWOLVES, UNDEAD, NAGAS, ICARI, SIDHE, WITCHES, GODDESSES, EYRIANS, NIGHT BREEDS, WIZARDS, IMMORTALS, SHIFTERS, HALF-HUMANS, ALL! COME IF YOU WILL SEE US THROUGH THIS BATTLE! PLEASE!

"So, what's to do now?" Tyson asked, slightly dazed. Midnight stood abruptly and gazed into each of their eyes for a long time. Then, she crossed her arms and lifted her chin. Her back was straight, her shoulders were squared, her eyes burning with determination. Her voice was cold and strong, declaring, "We go to Vaperio Hall, the home of the Dark Clan."


	17. Attacked en Route

Chapter Seventeen: Attacked en Route  
  
Warning: several characters are introduced, might be a bit confusing, and also, long battle scene.  
  
"Where are we?" Kenny asked quietly, looking out the window of the train. "What is this place? It's spooky."  
  
"We're in the Carpathian Mountains, my homeland." Midnight whispered, heart fluttering. She was home, she was home again, she could see her family! "My people are strongest in this land, the realm of our birth. I was born here almost a quarter of a million years ago." The boys all turned to stare at her. "Everything was so much safer then, in the Old World. I can't wait to get home."  
  
"How... how old are you, Dara? Exactly?" Kenny asked breathlessly. Did he really want to know? Well, Midnight was the oldest vampire, which meant she must be ancient. Was she the first, or just the oldest living?  
  
"I'm reading your thoughts, Kenny. I am not the first, but I am the oldest who lives, or has ever lived. My many times great-grandmother, Raksha herself, was the first, over four billion years ago. She is technically the oldest, as there is no legend or record of her death. It is said she passed into Heaven to guard and guide her people from above, but I do not know. The royal family, of which I am the head, is directly descended from her. As for my age, I am exactly one hundred eighty-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-one, as of last December, the twenty-fourth. I will be all that and ninety-two in a week. Lucky me." She smiled at their amazed looks. "I may be an old hag, but I got the looks and the moves of a hot young thing from the eighties.  
  
"So, how are you guys dealing?" She had summoned her brother, Mithainde, and her cousins, Lucian, Gabriel, and Gregori, and they had obliged her in changing them to vampires. Kai was still half, because Midnight was the only one who could change him right now, and she was too exhausted. Or she had been. The vampiress shook her head at the thought, then glanced at the boys. "Have you four fed this night?"  
  
"N-no..." Tyson looked at the floor.  
  
"We... we can't do it, it's too gross." Max admitted, then added hurriedly, "Not that you're gross, but..."  
  
"I understand. I can put you under compulsion, which will make it much easier, if you wish. I'm sure the other passengers can oblige you." She sensed their reluctance. "You want to help me. You made the transformation because of this wish. But you are of no use if you are ill with malnutrition when I need you. You will become dangerous to humans if you do not feed soon. I don't want to force you, but you will lose control of yourselves if you don't take sustenance this night. I will aid you in this." She smiled kindly. "It is not so bad as you would think. I shall return shortly."   
  
She stood and moved through the compartment they were in to the one behind them. A group of teenage boys were talking, but Midnight called them to her with compulsion. She took what she needed, but as usual once she'd begun Kai's transformation, there was no pleasure in it anymore. Only in taking her beloved mortal's blood was there joy. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and glided back into her compartment where the boys were.   
  
"Kenny, you are weak. Come here." He stood and went to her willingly. "Listen, not to my voice, but to my heart beat. You can hear it, can't you? My heart? My blood, rushing through my body? Listen to it, let it ensnare you." Kenny's eyes began drifting closed. Midnight sent a command for the other boys not to watch, and held out her wrist. She slashed it with one dagger-like talon, and Kenny took what she offered. First him, then Max, then Ray, and finally Tyson, fed only under the compulsion of their new natures. She did nothing but speak to them, didn't influence them in any way. Tyson put a hand to his mouth. Ray looked slightly green. Kenny was typing furiously at his computer, and Max was staring out the window.  
  
"Are you guys all okay?" Kai asked indifferently, looking over Kenny's bent head in Midnight's direction. They locked gazes, and she shook her head. She'd known this idea had been a mistake, but she'd been unable to sway them, to make them understand. Fledglings needed far more blood, more often, than ancients. She had known they'd have problems drinking blood, preying on humans. Damn her, but she should have been more firm. Well, there was no help for it now. She beckoned to Kai, who followed her out to the walkway outside. "They can't stomach it."  
  
"I know."  
  
"I never had any problems."  
  
"You're brave."  
  
"I had you to help me. Dara... can we agree on something?" She nodded, puzzled. "I want to at least try out immortality. Please? It would mean so much to me." She should say no, she thought to herself. She ought to say no. So, why couldn't she? Well, was it so terrible to please her one and only over this small thing? The decision was no longer irreversible, so by what right could she say no? Suddenly, she was very confused. She had reasons to say no, good reasons. What were they again? Damn, she was giving in.  
  
"I love you, Kai."  
  
"And I you, dark goddess of my soul." He whispered just before her fangs sank deep into his throat. His blood, still so human, welled up and flowed into her mouth. Kai's eyes drifted closed, and he groaned, murmured, "Harder, please Dara...." Her fangs went even deeper, bringing a rush of warm, scarlet blood to her mouth. She could hear his heartbeat, or was it hers? She could feel the rich life surging under Kai's skin, just waiting to be tasted. She needed to taste him, to know the sweetness of his blood, his life force. Kai's hand went up to touch the back of her head, using just a slight push to get her to increase the pressure. Kai's body trembled, his heart fluttering. Midnight's tongue swirled tenderly over the wound, healing it. When she pulled back, Kai was struck with how beautiful she was. Her eyes were wide and shining with a mix of tenderness and animal bloodlust. A smear of blood stained her cheek. Her lips were red, wet, and shining, colored freshly with Kai's own blood. She should have been sated. If it had been another, she would have been, but this was Kai. She wanted more.  
  
Kai pulled her to him, holding her close as his mouth latched onto hers, hot and demanding. He tenderly sucked her tongue from her mouth, bit down hard enough to draw blood. She whimpered softly and put a hand up to caress his cheek. His own hand went to her shirt front, which was tied shut at the top. He untied the satin bow, pushed aside a bit of the soft material. "Kai..." His mouth left hers, and went t her throat, nipping at the soft skin. Dara gasped when he drew blood. His tongue lapped gently at the bite, catching a taste of her blood. His mouth moved lower, over her collar bone, down and down. "Oh, Kai..."  
  
"May I, Dara?"  
  
"Please..." He pushed down on the top of her shirt, which yielded to show the pale, creamy skin beneath. Kai's fangs scraped over her skin, making her catch her breath. His mouth went ever lower, moving over the vulnerable swell of her breast. "Kai, please, I beg you..." There was a flash of white hot pain, then delicious heat flooded her body, making her gasp. Kai's taste buds thrilled at the well of blood flowing over them, suffusing with his body. He could feel it changing him, but he paid it little attention, more interested in the little noises his beloved was making. Kai lost himself in feeding from her, ignoring their surroundings, intent on the feasting. Her blood was the sweetest thing he'd ever tasted. Oh, God...  
  
"Dara..." He healed the bite, pulled his head up. "Oh, Midnight..." She kissed him, the blood on their lips mingling. Suddenly, Kai felt her stiffen. "What is it?"  
  
"Trouble. There are hunters here. Night demons. We're close to the Hall, we might be able to... no, it's too far, never mind. We will have problems, Kai. Come on." He followed her back inside. "Boys, we have problems. There are night demons on this god forsaken train. We'll have to fight them. I don't want to, but they'll kill us if we don't. There are quite a lot of them, which is why I'm warning you. I may not be able to keep them at bay long enough for... anyway, stay on your guard.Understand?"  
  
Dark Lady? You have need of us?  
  
Gabriel, Lucian. Julian, Aidan. Gregori, Darius. Othello, Mithainde. Dayan, Erych. Hear me, all of you. I am in danger, as are my five fledglings. We will need your assistance. Come quickly, I beg you.  
  
We are on our way, little sister.  
  
Why do we call her that, Gabriel? She's just as old as we are.  
  
Actually, Midnight retorted mentally, I'm about half a minute younger than Lucian and Gabriel. But that's unimportant. Please, brothers, come.  
  
We are coming. Midnight sighed, then straightened. Her eyes turned from the gold of the well fed vampire to the blood red of a predator. Her pupils, already slit, contracted so much they were almost invisible. Her fangs grew long and thin, indenting her bottom lip. Her hair moved as if blown by the wind, though there was none. She suddenly seemed to grow taller, more menacing. Her nails lengthened into dead claws. She was not ready for the night demons, but she was prepared to defend as needed.  
  
"Well, it's the Lady of the Night." A tall, disproportioned thing, seemingly of shadows, hissed laughter. Its eyes were as red as Midnight's, but it's fangs were a sickly green, and its claws were brown with dried blood. Its mouth literally stretched from the far left of its head to the far right. Midnight squared her shoulders, then gasped when she was attacked from behind, below, and the right. She had thought there was only one. She had not sensed the many, hiding, because... because she'd been careless. Dear Raksha, Lady of the Undead...  
  
Kai and the others saw a mass of shadows converge on Midnight, hiding her from view, and then they heard a blood curdling scream of rage and pain. Crimson light flared, and a shower of black ash fell to the ground. Midnight slumped to the ground, bleeding from hundreds of stab wounds. She pushed herself to her feet, only to be attacked. Or, at least she would have been, but when the shadow thing sliced down with its blade, the vampiress was no longer in where she'd been standing. A flash of red light rushed past Kai's ear, and the shadow demon began screaming as Midnight ripped its pulsing, black heart from its chest. A black something sliced at her inner thigh, then her shoulder. She fell again, rose once more, her life's blood draining away onto the floor.  
  
"Why do you persist, dead ones? You cannot win, once the hunters come. Simply allow me to aid you in your endeavor to end your hellish existence." She sliced the head off one as it's dagger like nails slammed into her stomach. The white shirt and dark green shorts had long since been drenched in her blood, but she would be damned before she fell to a gang of night demons. She slit the throat of another, but the favor was returned when she turned to meet another attack. She staggered and hit the wall. Kai tried to get to her, but an invisible wall kept him from the battle, as well as keeping the boys away.  
  
"Why do you attempt these childish tricks, Lady of the Dead Ones? You will die from this battle."  
  
"No, evil one. It takes more than this to kill a vampire, much less an ancient of my power." Midnight fell to her knees. She would not die like this, no, her people needed her. Kai needed her. She would not fall, would not submit. Fuck that.  
  
"Hear me... dead one. I will not be... destroyed by the likes of you. Get over it." Midnight vanished, and three of the five night demons screamed in agony as, one by one, she ripped out their hearts. The black, pulsing organs were thrown to the floor and enveloped in flames. The demons shrieked, but Midnight paid it no attention. She would kill these monsters... They three heartless ones suddenly exploded in gouts of black fire. Midnight fell to her knees once more, but did not collapse. She faced the two remaining demons unflinchingly, determined. Still, she could not help but call out quietly, Brothers?  
  
We are almost upon you, beloved one. That was Gabriel.  
  
Yeah, hang tight, stubborn one. Jacques, one of the older ones. No heroics. Midnight stood, swaying with weakness. Kai couldn't tear his eyes from her. She was pale, not just white pale, but gray, like a living corpse. Her eyes were huge in her face, solid black, burning with red flames in their centers. Her skin was stretched along her skeletal frame almost to emaciation. Her fangs were steadily growing longer, as were her nails. She looked like a demon out of a horror film, and Kai could feel her revulsion for what she'd become during the fight.  
  
"Evil demon, dead one, your life is forfeit. I will destroy you."  
  
"Dark Lady, you are blind to your own imminent death. Die, and leave the rest of us in peace." The demons flew at her, but she dodge one, only to be slashed across the back by the other. Blood, what little there was, began flowing steadily from the wound. Midnight suppressed her fear. She was not capable of death. It was only through exposure to the sun, in a state even weaker than this, that she could be killed. And she would not be killed so easily as yet. She gathered power, shadows, darkness, drawing them into her body to give her strength, even as she side stepped an attack designed to leave her headless. Claws filthy with old blood raked down the side of her face.  
  
Kai raged against the invisible barrier, furious. Was this shield of Dara's making, or the demons, to make it easier to kill her? He didn't care, he had to help her. "MIDNIGHT!!!" She looked at him for a brief moment, then turned back to the fight. Like a lamb, she faced the slaughter without fear. She slammed her fist through the chest of one demon, and with a horrible, squelching sucking noise, she withdrew the disgusting, soulless heart and crushed it in her fist. The other demon roared, drew it's talons down her back. Midnight fell to the ground and slid a few feet in the pool of her blood. She shoved herself upright, trying to regain her footing. A sharp kick made contact with her side, cracking several ribs. She fell, only to be toed sharply, the dagger like toe nails piercing the skin and bringing forth a rush of blood and pain. She grabbed the thing's foot- it was a different one, there were more- and squeezed, crushing the leg bones to a fine powder.  
  
"Bitch! You will pay dearly for your sins!" She nearly groaned with anger. It wasn't fair, she was surrounded on all sides once more. Many others had come, not all of them night demons. She could not fight them all, not in her present state. She was going to die, unable to get out of the sun in time...  
  
BROTHERS!  
  
They materialized out of thin air, ten tall, forbidding men. Two of them had wild blond hair and slashing golden eyes, both identical. The boys recognized Julian Savage. That had to be his twin, Aidan. Most of the men had black hair, with black eyes though six did not: Jacques had golden eyes, Mikhail green. Lucian and Gabriel had pale blue eyes, and a man who was just as handsome, dark, and deadly as Midnight was beautiful, shadowed, and lethal, had Midnight's beautiful blue-violet eyes with the melted star centers. Gregori, one of Midnight's brothers, had steel gray eyes. But all of them were tall, broad shouldered, muscular, and furious. Midnight stood slowly and went to her twin, Mithainde.  
  
"Dead ones, you are tired. Go now into oblivion." Lucian's voice was soothing, gentle. The undead began to scream as Lucian and the others exacted their revenge. Darius attacked the one closest to Julian, who was sheltering Midnight from the approaching dawn. Aidan kept the demons from the two, as did Mithainde, who also used his powers to check his twin for serious, fatal injury. There was none. Jacques, Mikhail, and Dayan were busy feasting on the blood of the demons and the ghouls. Erych silently killed one of the rogue vampires from the second round. The last of the evil ones fell to the ground, dead, eaten by vampiric power from the inside out. Gabriel called forth the flames to destroy their bodies. All of them turned as one to regard Midnight, unconscious, cradled in Kai's arms.  
  
"You are Kaiaden Kaido? Good. Bring her with you, and follow us. We will take her to a place of healing." Aidan ordered imperiously. Kai rose, but did not follow. He sensed no evil or ill will from these men, but the instincts his almost completely vampiric nature brought forth were nagging at him to be sure. He snarled when Erych moved as if to take his soul mate from him forcibly.  
  
"Erych, stand down. I am Midnight's twin, Mithainde. She needs to go to ground, to heal. If she is caught in the sun in this state, she will die. Follow us... you are all vampire, are you not?"  
  
"I'm three-fourths." Kai snapped defensively. The tall man shrugged.  
  
"It is enough for you to use your new found powers. You can fly her. Just imagine yourself lifting into the air, and you shall." Kai stared in amazement. He could... he'd seen Midnight do the speed thing, and when he'd asked how to, she'd said it had to do with imagination. But, flying? The vampires followed him outside. He wondered when the train had stopped, but when he saw blood splashing the engine car windows, he had a feeling it was the demons who had attacked Midnight. Kai brought himself back to the task at hand. He shut his eyes, concentrated, and imagined himself floating up into the air. He opened his eyes, and saw that he and all the others were drifting high off the ground.  
  
"Holy shit."   
  
"Dawn approached, lifemate of my sister. Follow with all speed." Kai and the Blade Breakers followed the other vampires wherever they were leading them, deeper into the wilds of the Carpathian Mountains. 


	18. Introductions

Things were definitely not going his way, Kai Kaido Hiwatari decided, staring at the creatures surrounding him and the other vampires. They looked human, all present on the lawn of Vaperio Hall, but the majority of them were something else. He didn't know what.  
  
'Vampaneze, vampires gone insane with blood lust,' Midnight whispered faintly in his mind. Kai hugged her cold life-less body to his chest. The princess was still very weak from the previous fight. She would need defending while in her present death-like state. 'The Vampaneze are dangerous by themselves,' his soul mate continued, 'starved for innocent blood to the point of madness, but if one is in fact truly insane, that is when they are deadliest. And these must be crazy to attack me.'  
  
Julian and Aidan exchanged a glance. What their sister said was true. To attack a vampire of nobility was a grievous crime, and the generals of the Vampire Clans would never let such go unpunished.  
  
'Selene wouldn't rest,' Aidan 'pathed,' until the entire race was extinct.' Aloud, he demanded, "What business do you have with us?" Midnight concentrated on lifting one eyelid to regard the Vampaneze. Greenish-gray skin was loose on their bones, blood shot eyes wide in their fat faces. The Vampiress suppressed a shiver.  
  
"We seek permission to feed on the village."  
  
"You know better. The laws in Sangria are the same as any other Vampire cities. No eating the people. Get off our lawn." Kai shouldered past the fat, creepy creatures, followed by the others. Midnight did not relax until the ebony gates of the hall were shut firmly behind her. Theo, her slashing gold eyes cut to Gregori. Her look told him the complete stupidity of his actions. The Vampaneze were salt on a wound in the way of war. Dara sighed, suddenly hating everything in sight but a pair of cobalt blue eyes. She smiled wanly to ease the worry in Kai's face, ignoring the pain in her body as he went up a flight of steep stairs after Gregori. He was trying not to jostle her.  
  
"In here." Gregori said tonelessly, and opened a black wood door. Kai went in and laid Midnight gently upon lone table at the Dark One's command. Dara moaned softly in pain. "Hold onto her, Kai Kaido Hiwatari, and I shall heal her." Silver eyes met blue ones and Kai glanced at Dara for decision help before nodding to Gregori. "Let us begin then."  
  
Selene and Michael leaned on opposite sides of the door to the healing room, silent. The two vampire werewolf hybrids were tense and alert, for their noses caught the scent of the Army of Death approaching the hall. Neither hybrid would allow them near midnight. Selene reached a hand into the pocket of her black leather trench coat and withdrew twin Beretta automatic pistols. A window to the far right shattered, and a Lycan leapt through. The werewolf snarled.  
  
"Move, slut." He growled at Selene. Michael raised his own gun and fired. The bang was loud -exceptionally loud-to the hybrids with their delicate, sensitive ears. The silver bullet ripped into the enemy's chest, sending him flying backwards, out the shattered window. A challenge roared from the other end of the hall. Another Lycan and a Remesian accompanied by three Vampaneze bellowed and charged. Selene lifted her gun, but twin blurs rushed past them to attack the monsters.  
  
Melissa, tall and slender with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes, fired three shots from her .32 revolver with silver bullets. Two slammed into the Remesian, ripping molten silver into his chest. He fell to the floor , hot steam rising from the holes. The third bullet hit the Lycan between the eyes, fragmenting the back of her skull and showering the wall with gray matter. Christine, blond and dangerous, slammed her twin knives into two of the three Vampaneze.  
  
Michael and Selene grinned at the two hunters as Michael ripped the heart from the Vampaneze's chests. Two maid walked up the stairs, down the hall, and sighed in unison. Tish shook her head at Melissa, who grinned, showing her fangs and braces. "Sorry about the brains," she said unrepentantly, "the Hall's under attack, these bastards were fuckin' easy." She toed the corpse of the brained Lycan. "You and Sal hide, Tish." The two humans nodded then Sal murmured, "Stacie can't find her automatic." Christine sighed in exasperation.  
  
"She'll show automatic pistol or no. You two, get out of here." The humans scurried back downstairs as another boy, looking about sixteen joined them by the door.  
  
"Garret, where's Stacie?"  
  
"Damned if I know. Full moon tonight though. The wolves are out."  
  
"I noticed. Damn." Three fully transformed Lycans, followed by two Pantherae shifters, leapt through the already shattered window. Garret and Melissa fired, catching the female werewolf in the chest. Christine's throwing knife came to rest between the ribs of one shifter who fell. "Fucking leeches!" The second panther roared and transformed, taking the sleek terrible form of the great cat. It launched itself at Garret, but Melissa shoved him out of the way. The cat slammed her back into the wall, tearing at her with it's claws. Christine and Michael were about to help, but a werewolf knocked them both to the ground. Selene and Garret were busy with the other wolf.  
  
"Stacie were the fuck are you!?" Selene shouted.  
  
Kai's ears were ringing from gunfire, and Gregori was hellishly tense. Midnight was changing hurriedly behind a screen into her fighting clothes. Kai's gaze rested on the weapons set up on the table: thirteen silver knives, a silver katana, and two automatic pistols. Midnight slipped two knives into each of her knee-high hunting boots, one into each secret place under her clothes, easily accessible in a fight. Her pistols went into thigh holsters under the hems of the legs of her black shorts. She tucked in her crimson tank top and braided her black hair tightly. "Showtime you goddamn bastards." She withdrew a shotgun from a drawer and checked the clip. Pure silver. Hot damn. "Kai, I've taught you sight shielding, stay hidden. It's very important. Okay?" He nodded. "Let's go."  
  
"Stacie! Nicole, where's Stacie?" Kayla exclaimed. The blond vampires growled in frustration. Nicole, the hunter healer sighed and shrugged.  
  
"I don't know, "she snapped, stirring the distillation of silver nitrate calmly, "so stop bugging me. I have to get this right. Give me some of that powdered copper and the ruby, please." Kayla handed Nicole two phials, one filled with a sparkling red powder. Sharpening her nails, she used her index nail to scoop some up and sprinkle it into the spring water dosed with silver, the stuff in the flask turned yellow as Nicole stirred. She dosed the stuff with copper, which deepened it to a deep burnt orange color. Her blue eyes went wide as she grinned, her fangs gleaming. "Got it. Perfect! This is perfect!"  
  
She lifted the flask and poured the stuff into a mold for a bullet. She filled a dozen, then dumped them all into a steaming pitcher. Kayla exclaimed, "What are you-" but Nicole shushed her, grinning and whispering, "Yes, yes." Kayla sighed as she realized Nicole had gone mad-scientific- genius mode on her again. Nicole, using a pair of tongs, pulled out each shell and loaded them into a clip of ammo. "This'll get those evil shifters, no question."  
  
"What is that stuff?"  
  
"Copper is lethal to the Serpiente, and silver to most Lupine. But nobody can handle blood ruby poison unless you're already dead." Kayla hissed at the sound of gunfire.  
  
"Come on, this is serious." Kayla said as both she and Nicole raced from the lab.  
  
"Hey, where the hell's my gun!?" An Asian looking girl yelled and fired two rounds from her Winchester. " I want my auto!" Stacie kicked a Lycan in the stomach, then between the legs. "You bastards stole my auto!" Stacie dispatched the wolf-man, looked around as Midnight decapitated a roaring were-beast.  
  
The Pantherae raced to the window, but a shot rang out and the beast jerked and hit the floor twitching. Nicole, standing with Kayla, shot it again in the face. Stacie, sniffing, sneezing, and gagging, at the stench of death, exclaimed, "Hey! It's my .44mm Scarletti pistol! Ha!" Stacie picked a black steel pistol off the floor. "Eww. Werewolf blood. That's icky." She began cleaning it with a black silk handkerchief.  
  
Midnight sighed, laughing, murmuring, "You and your stupid Scarletti. You still planning on marrying that Mafia Shifter?" Stacie stuck out her tongue, crying. "For your information Enrique is my life mate, and this gun was a present. Your soul mate never gave you a gun."  
  
Kai materialized behind Midnight and hugged her hard, kissing her cheek. "Nope, never thought of it."  
  
"Hmph." Stacie snorted. "Hey Nicole. Most shots won't down a shifter like that . New formula?" The redhead nodded, replying, "Blood ruby. Kills almost instantly." Kenny whistled in amazement.  
  
"Did you make the weapon yourself?" Midnight's silvery laugh rippled through the air.  
  
"Nicole is our second best healer, a weapons researcher, and she designed the house."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Anyone hurt? Well then who wants a tour?"  
  
Kai lounged lazily on the bed in his soul mate's room, looking like a sexy, slumberous god of old. 'Awaiting his virgin sacrifice,' Midnight thought, smiling. The black silk sheets contrasted sharply with Kai's bloodless, ivory skin. He lay there, his mind tired from the sight shield. Midnight put a gentle hand to his cheek, her nails, splashes of crimson against his face.  
  
"I know this is all new. I would leave this place, Kai, if you wished it of me. Give you more time." Kai smiled faintly. Midnight went to her knees and took Kai's hand. It was trembling with exhaustion. Kai had given her strength to resist the enemy at a great cost to himself.  
  
Midnight began to whisper, "Nure nim vitamdas, ni lani nu, anosha." 1  
  
"Midnight" he whispered almost desperately, "Say more."  
  
The Vampiress smiled and whispered in Saguinyte, "Nu nosih nim sanguina, anosha, tans nim sanguina." 2 The ancient tongue of vampires, Sanguinyte, was also a treasure to the vampires, as only the ancients knew it. The words struck a chord in Kai's almost totally Vampiric soul. Kai turned to face her fully, looking into her deep blue eyes.  
  
"Dara... do it." Their lips met in a passionate kiss. Midnight trailed soft, gentle kisses from his mouth to the cool, white flesh over his heart. One crimson talon scored a deep gash over his heart, and her mouth went to capture the life blood flowing from the wound. Her tongue lapped gently at the rich redness, savoring the taste of her soul mate. Kai barely noticed when she stopped. He was too busy removing the red silk pajama top she was wearing. The shirt fell away, revealing icy porcelain skin, unscarred, unmarked, smooth, flawless. His own mouth went to her pale, lovely throat, then skimmed down over her collar bone to the soft swell of her breast. His fangs lengthened, sharpened, and pierced her skin. Sweet blood welled up and flooded his mouth. Rivulets of crimson splashed their skin.  
  
Heat flowed through them, and deep in their joined minds, Midnight whispered lovingly "Nure nin auramdas; nin vitamdas; nin lani; e ander fleh ao nin aura; e eldi oa nin mnoche; e lani oa nin mnyte; e knyte oa nin vistang." 3 Kai continued to feed voraciously, needing it desperately. The princess began to get drowsy.  
  
"Nin snaguina si nur'e sanguina, nur'e sanguina si nim. Nuimn gaia viastang, telma, nad aurai sir unda. Nui vita, nui lani, i mnyte, i knyte, i e mnoche." 4 Kai's mouth was hot and demanding against her skin, his fangs needles of exquisite ice.  
  
"Nu tres nin vistang I nur'e digan. Nure nin vitamdas, nin auramdas. Nui sir tises franuinma a lani, drasir, henesha, tharish phix ala thynety. Nin sanguina mnoir I nur'e sangai, shi nur'ei sra i nin." 5 The bite Kai left stung and throbbed, but it felt wonderful. He kissed her once, her own blood staining her lips. Her soul mate looked into her eyes for a moment before his mouth claimed her neck. His tongue swirled lazily over her frantic pulse. Her lovely skin was as soft as satin, warm with the lifeblood rushing just beneath the skin. His teeth scraped over her throat, nipped at it gently.  
  
"Kai, amon nin toth, anosha, nad lisn tem. Nur'e nin auramdas nad vitamdas, NIM, phixnor, nad ni lani nu. Nui sir unda. Ni lani nu." 6 At her last words, the beast in Kai roared for release as the now fully fledged vampire bit down hard and drank.  
  
"Where are the twins?" Midnight asked, smiling. She was wrapped in Kai's arms, staring out the window dreamily. Kai, the others noticed looked very different. His skin seemed paler than ever, his blue eyes colder, emotionless. He was wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans. To two hidden onlookers he didn't look like a vampire. Dara didn't either in black shorts, tank top, and scarlet, shoulder baring sweater. Midnight asked again, "Eryka and Erynh, where are they?"  
  
Two girls melted out of the shadows, twin brunettes with brown eyes. One smiled, showing off gleaming, pearly fangs. The other one blinked, the black pupils turning silver, for a moment before darkening to normal.  
  
"Ah. Boys, this is Erynh," pointing to the second girl, "and her sister, Eryka. Erynh's a werewolf, a Remesian. Eryka was made vampire a few centuries ago. Don't piss them off, they're sword happy." Both girls exchanged an amused glance, then Eryka muttered, "We got a small army coming this way. Lycans, Breeds, Rogues, you name it, it's probably out there." Erynh growled at her twin's words. "We need the others."  
  
Midnight extracted herself from Kai as Melissa and Christine arrived. The hybrid snarled and growled when Dara told her of the Lycans and Rogues. Her eyes shimmered, lit as if by the moon. Her teeth changed incisors lengthening, accompanied by serrated canines. Vampire fangs sprouted over her eyeteeth, and her eyes suddenly slit like a cat's. Christine put a hand to her shoulder.  
  
"Down, girl." Melissa snapped at the other girl's hand. "Fine! Jeez! Tish, D'Arel take the kids upstairs. We've got stuff to do." The two mortals rushed to find mortal and immortal children in the house and hide them. Kai pulled Midnight into his arms again, kissing the top of her head. Everyone noticed the possessive way he held her, the feral look in his eyes. They saw a demon where once stood a mortal man. Kai didn't look different, but he felt strange, dark, predatory. He was a true vampire. Even as she caught the scent of blood and death, Dara turned into Kai's embrace and kissed him.  
  
The front door kicked in, and the creatures of the night drew their respective weapons.  
  
"Why the house?" Midnight muttered dejectedly, and dodged a slashing claw. Midnight ripped out the owner's throat. As she tore into a knot of Rogue vampires, drenching herself with hot blood, she heard a familiar voice yell in pain from upstairs.  
  
Erynh glanced at Eryka, who snarled as werewolf instincts kicked in. Her eyes went from black to gold to silver, and she grinned showing off fangs and serrated canines. Erynh roared like a demented beast and the twins loped up the stairs.  
  
Dara hissed in fury and shook out her hair, spraying blood on the near wall, then went down on all fours and leapt at a raging lycan, fangs clenched as it ripped a hole in her side. Her talons raked across its face, and the beast roared, "Fucking leech! You'll pay for that!" It threw the princess into the wall, howled and charged. A deadly shadow intercepted it.  
  
"What the hell? Aah... oh, my god, oh my god, no! no! No aaahhhh!"  
  
The werewolf exploded in a shower of blood, bone fragments, and shredded meat. Cold blue eyes surveyed the remains dispassionately, the Kai smiled and waved his hand, every Lycan, Remesian, Fenrian, and Romulese werewolf in the room exploded, leaving a few Rogue vampires, and ghouls, which were quickly dispatched. Midnight stared up at her lifemate in awe. Such was the awesome power of her ancient blood, that killing was so easy for him.  
  
Kai whispered, "I had to save you. I had to. do you hate me?" She shook her head.  
  
"No. No, love. You did well. Oh." Midnight lurched to her feet, blood soaking her side. "I'm getting too old for this. Hmm... Mithainde?"

"Yes, Dark One?"  
  
"Summon the Dark Bladers to me, along with both Clans, the Pack and Senotaph's Court. Understand?"  
  
"Yes Dark One... Dara?!" Kai jumped and looked up to see Midnight collapsing.  
  
"Da-ra..." Kai's vision swam, and suddenly realized he was standing in a pool of his own blood. A continually deepening pool. Kai fell, and everything went dark.  
  
Kai's eyes fluttered open, and immediately realized two things: he was in Dara's room, and the vampire in question was lying across his stomach, asleep, a book hanging from her limp fingers. When he opened his eyes, she opened one of hers to regard him.  
  
She said, "You look much better. I'm glad. You'll need all your strength, for the dark council meets tonight, midnight. We must all be there."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It is a council of war."  
  
A/N: I'll update when I can, but ch19 is going to be very long. and I might post ch20 too. You get to meet the rest of Midnight's inner circle, some good shifters, some more of Midnight's family, some super uber bad enemies, and Stacie's family. (familiar person. think European play boy)  
  
Translation:  
  
1 You're my lifemate. I love you, beloved.  
  
2 You want my blood, beloved, take my blood.  
  
3 You're my soulmate; my lifemate; my love; the other half of my soul; the lady of my night; the love of my shadows; the darkness of my heart.

4 My blood is your blood, your blood is mine. Our bodies, hearts, minds, and souls are one. We live, we love, in shadows, in darkness, in the night.  
  
5 You hold my heart in your hands. You 're my lifemate, my soulmate. We are bound together by love, desire, hunger, and thirst for all eternity. My blood flows in your veins, as yours does in mine.  
  
6 Hear my words, beloved, and heed them. You're my soulmate and lifemate, MINE, forever, and I love you. We are one. I love you.


	19. Council, London

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Chapter Nineteen: - The Council, and London Events

Author's note: Because Nicole (yes, mad-scientist-genius-vampire with the red hair) is mad at me for not updating my other fic, "Fire and Ice," (which I will soon, I hope) she won't type the chapter, but since I have my own computer now, I'm only half screwed, not entirely! Yay! Snaps for me!

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Kai: You're a freak. That's from _Legally Blond II._

****

Me: You're a blood-sucking undead fiend walking around in a reanimated corpse. Who got the short end of the stick? _(For all of you who don't know, Reese Witherspoon is actually a creature of the night.)_

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Kai: I hate you.

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Me: Bite me, you zombified leech.

****

Kai: _*bares pearly fangs in evil grin, advances slowly*_

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Dara: Don't, her blood is poisonous. She's part Triste Witch.

****

Me: I was gonna trick him! Get him sick for a few days!

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Dara: Back off, or I'll break your fingers.

****

Me: Ooh, touchy. Oh, hey, my favorite Shifter.

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Ray: She doesn't own anything. She's just too spastic to remember to tell you. _*kisses me on the cheek*_ I love you anyway.

****

Me: Grow up and get away from me! He's right though, I only own the people you don't recognize from anything else.

There will be about a page of descriptions in there, dashed with happenings and stuff, near the beginning, of some characters who will become _very_ important. Also, if you see any possible pairings, tell me in your reviews. **(wink, wink)** I might already have them in mind, but you never know. Um. I think that's it. oh, some meetings of some famous vampires and some old friends of the Blade Breakers, and a steam scene, though it's brief.

Kai and the others who'd never been to this part of the Hall managed to keep their mouths closed, but they were nonetheless impressed by the Chamber of the Dark Council. It was _HUGE,_ with high, vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows taller than any of the nightmen in the room, the tallest being the advisor of the Arcerian Queen, a man named Kristoff, who had to be at least eight feet tall. There were tapestries hung on the walls showing battles from ancient days, and portraits of all kinds of night creatures imaginable. What caught Kai's attention was a family portrait near the huge fireplace, of vampires. 

There was a man of maybe twenty-five, muscular and solid, smiling, with long, jet hair and laughing blue eyes. He stood beside a woman who looked so much like Midnight, that Kai knew it had to be her mother, the Lady Ankashai, who died hundreds of thousands of years ago. Her hair was curled into ebony ringlets and her huge violet eyes were bright with happiness. Around them were at least ten children, ranging from a baby held in the woman's arms to five young men and girl, the two pairs of men who could have been twins, as could the other boy and girl. On closer inspection, Kai realized it was the vampires known as Lucian and Gabriel, Alexandre and Jaycen, standing beside Mithainde and Dara. She looked only a few years younger, but the portrait was obviously ancient.

_It was painted, _Midnight murmured telepathically, _by Leonardo daVinci during the Renaissance, from an older portrait, and that one, an older portrait then that. There are, I believe, three hundred copies or so, one every several hundred years. They're all in the vault beneath the dungeons._

You guys have dungeons_? In this day and age?  
Nicole thought it would be cool. But our Peoples don't take prisoners, because we never leave evil_

to fester where we can't defeat it.

Good philosophy.

Indeed. 

"What? I'm sorry, Dark Lady, forgive me, but I'm sure I must have heard you wrong. You want to-" Midnight cut Viktor off before his simpering, whipped-dog mannerisms pissed her off too much.

"Bring together the Dark Peoples, yes. You heard me correctly the first time, Councilor." The princess said quietly. Kai and the others looked around at the members of the Dark Council. Some they knew. Many they did not.

They knew Zom, the big "walking dead" man from the Dark Bladers, and they also recognized Lupinex, accorded a place on the council as the Werewolf King, and the two women next to them, Millicent Ghoste and Lady Sophia deLoup, the only women of the Dark Blader team. There were also the continental rulers, whom the boys did not know, and the Matriarchs of the witch families.

Cute and petite: That was the only way to describe Nicolina (Nicole) Tygre, the fifteen-year-old Arcerian Queen, with her five-year-old face and small, slender body. Her long, white blond hair and ice blue eyes gave away her race, (Arcerian, snow shifter) and her long, pearly claws and surname denoted her subspecies. She ruled the continent Antarctica, which, though sparsely populated by humans, if at all, was teeming with the Arcerian tigers, wolves, foxes, bears (which had three sub-species of their own), leopards and the legendary warriors, the white panthers. Her bodyguard was none other than Joshua, Arcerian Wolf, the favorite victim of Eryka and Erynh.

Ray did a double take when he recognized the Asian Tygre Queen, Atrishya (Trisha) Tygre and her sister, Heidi, Mistress of the Guard. Nicolina, Trisha, and Heidi were cousins. Though older by more than two years, Trisha was half a foot shorter than Heidi, who was almost sixteen. Both girls had cat like eyes of gray green, though the Queen had a bit of amber and brown in them.

Midnight was the ruler of the European continent. A tall, lanky man with spiky black hair and a girl of approximately the same build with long, russet curls were Oz and Evelyn, twin rulers of Australia.

The Hispanic girl from South America, Danieala Rodriguez, was actually of pure Spanish decent, a Panther, selected by the Amazon Queen for this mission because of her trustworthiness. With her was another Hispanic, Mexican, Angela Cortezzo, a fifth-rank Coyote princess, from North America, and off by herself, from Canada, was an Arctic Fox, by the name of Adele Ionia, a small girl of ten, with brown hair streaked with white and silvery-blue eyes. Canada, having very little in common with the United States and Mexico in the ethnicity department, sent its own representative. 

Kai nudged Mithainde. _Why are most of these people shape shifters?_

The different breeds of shifter outnumber us on most continents. Australia and Antarctica belong solely to them. They share Africa with the Orisha witch coven. They share America with every other night creature, and South America with the Amazons, witches, and vampires. Canada belongs almost solely to them, though Mexico is over run with brujas_. Those scare me to death almost. As for Europe, most of these countries are Shifter territories, except France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain._

What lives in Antarctica?!

__

The Arcerian wolves, foxes, bears, and cats. You see the lady Nicolina Tygre? She is an Arcerian cat, and her bodyguard- you know young Joshua- is an Arcerian wolf.

"My dear Lady-" Viktor began, but broke off, startled, when Nicolina stood up and then was lifted by the towering, silent Kristoff into a chair. She withstood the indignity of it very nicely, smoothing her slightly rumpled, white silk shirt and white jeans. Unlike most of their kind, Nicolina and Joshua were both very short, the Tygre queen being only four foot two, and Josh four inches taller than that.

"What's the problem? She needs to come with us to our realms, because you _know_ our people are all suspicious of each other. It'll show Her Highness," the small shifter nodded in Dara's direction to show respect, "trusts us enough to come. If she feels the need to freeze to death in Antarctica, she can come if she wants. I'm sure His Imperial Highness," the royal cat gave a brief bow, as did the other shifters, "will have no objections to her going anywhere." Viktor paled even more at the mention of such a powerful being, then swallowed and looked to Midnight's impressive form.

She looked positively lethal, dressed in a black dress with off-the-shoulder bell sleeves and a ragged, mid-thigh skirt. She wore black leather boots with dagger sharp stiletto heels. Her face was pale, her lips red, eyes golden, cat like. A golden pendant with a large, black jewel hung at her throat, a symbol of royal authority. Viktor tried to hide his fear and said peevishly, "Females of any dark race may not travel alone."

The vampiress throttled the urge to snap, "Kill him" to one her people. Viktor said, "And your choice of a mate does not provide credibility to either your sanity or your claim that you _won't_ be alone. I mean, come on. It's laughable. He's _human_. Weak. Pathetic. Inferior. It's pitiful."

"Bite your tongue, you disgusting bastard freak, or I'll cut it out." Midnight crooned malevolently. "I have a connection that you do not have, Viktor. I am friends with the lifemate of the King of the Earth, His Majesty." The Shifters again bowed their heads. "You will allow this, if the council says it is so. And you most certainly will never insult my lifemate again. If you do, I shall rip out your throat. I will drain you dry, and you will feel every single drop of life as it leaves your veins. You will allow me my request, if the council say it's so. What say the Council?"

"On behalf of Nicolina Tygre, I personally put forth a motion to agree." Josh said, and Nicolina nodded. Oz and Evelyn chorused, "We second the motion."

"All in favor?" Zom asked. There was a resounding chorus of "AYES!" The big man then asked, "All opposed?" His glare should have silenced the conservative vampire, but some people just can't take a hint.

"N-" Viktor began to say, then began gasping and choking as Kai telekinetically began to strangle him. The once-human boy's eyes were solid black, no whites or pupils or irises, burning with a demonic flame in their centers. His fangs were bared in a parody of a grin.

"Shut up. Okay?" Midnight watched Kai with fascinated eyes. His violent side was more easily brought forth now, but she knew this was only surface temper. If he was really angry, Viktor would have been dead already, mere particles of disintegrated bones and muscle. Kai had a vampire's soul, Midnight realized.. She smiled, chillingly malevolent, as Viktor's eyes grew wide with fear, and then glazed with lack of oxygen and fear as Kai kept a choke hold on his throat. "Okay?" Kai asked again softly. Viktor nodded, choking and wheezing. The vampire released the ancient councilman, and Viktor sank to the floor and dissolved into mist, breezing swiftly across the floor and out of the Council Chamber.

"Kai." He flinched, expecting a reprimand. "That was brilliant." He stared at her for a moment, then grinned. Her eyes were shining with adoration and admiration.

_Dara, what made them vote your way?_

The fact that I rule most of Europe, and that only vampires can assimilate other races. Besides, I'm cool, and it's my will. My will is law. Kai wasn't sure if she was exaggerating or not.

***

"Are we there yet?"

"No." Midnight said wearily.

"Are we there _yet_?"

"No, Stacy." She bit out.

"How about now?"

"Nope."

"Now?"

"No." She practically growled.

"Are we _there_ yet?"

"_No_."

"Well, gee whiz! When then?"

"We have to cross the street." Dara said waspishly to the Asian vampire. The short, Philippine/Thai girl looked confused for a minute, then grinned.

"Oh!" Dara sent the thought: _Jeez, Stacy, what are you smoking?_ Stacy knew the princess was only kidding.

__

I think, Nicole said, _her little brats are driving her crazy, literally._ The red head stuck her tongue out at Stacy when Stacy said, "Oh, bite me."

"Stacy," Ray began, incredulous, "you've got kids of your own?" The small vampiress looked like she was twelve, being rather short and very immature in her mannerisms.

"Yeah. Four. Enrique, Natasha, Antonietta, and Franco." 

"Who's the father? Are you married?" 

"Yep, to Enrique Scarletti." She answered nonchalantly as the crossed at the intersection of Aisle Drive and Mile's End Road. At the end of Mile's End was a nightclub, the Admiral's Arms.

"Whoa." Kenny whispered, then asked his red-haired companion, "Nicci, what is that place? I've got a bad vibe from it."

"Vampires and other blood sucking carnivores congregate here. In this place, war is set aside and everyone's on equal ground. You have one problem, Kenny. You and Max, out of everyone, have a very distinctly human impression, and you two are too young to know how to reveal your vampirism to others of our kind."

"What does that mean?" Max asked, blinking.

"They'll try to eat you." The two fledgling vampires stared at her in horror. "Don't worry about it, we'll look out for you."

" 'Take a walk down the Aisle,

and at the End of the Mile,

surrender to my charms

in the Admiral's Arms.' "

So quoted the vampire Eryka, a big, toothy smile on her face. Erynh _wuffed_ softly in annoyance, shaking her head, and Josh groaned. Dara asked quietly, "So, he's here then? The Brat Prince?" The once-werewolf nodded. "Damn. So much for an evening without trouble." She murmured sarcastically as they all went in.

As soon as she entered, Midnight was instantly at home in the nightclub. Her black, shiny leather mini skirt went barely to mid thigh, and matched her black, shiny leather boots with stiletto heels. She wore a leather tank top over a sheer, long sleeve shirt made of fishnet stocking material, and her tights were sheer and black. She wore a silk jacket, and over that, a black leather vest. Around her neck was an obsidian pendant, an ankh, and in her ears were hematite crosses hanging from silver chains. Her hair was tied in a braid hanging down her back. Her eyes flashed golden, and she bared her fangs in a sinister parody of a smile. She looked hotter than the sun, and as trustworthy as an axe murderer.

Kai grinned and looked into her eyes. His fangs shown in the garish lights of the club, and his eyes glowed red when shadows washed over his face. The once human wore a pair of black leather pants and a black satin shirt, unbuttoned down to the end of his sternum, giving all the females in the building a much-desired look at his well-muscled chest. Vampire women were openly staring at the soulmate to the High Dark Queen, as she was sometimes called. Dara, sensing this, grinned and blew a kiss at her lifemate. He arched an eyebrow, and she smirked.

She slowly approached Kai, put her hands over his heart. His cold, pale skin was hard and smooth beneath her fingertips, and she brushed a kiss over his pounding heart, never taking her eyes off his as her tongue flicked out to taste his skin. Kai's hands went up to her shoulders and closed on them hard, as if he was wrestling with his self-control. Dara's fangs scraped teasingly over his exposed flesh, making him shiver. "You wanna dance with me?" Her lips whispered against his skin.

"You know I do." Kai took her hand and led her onto the floor, kissed her gently on the lips. Her hands stayed over his heart, but she moved in a little closer, her body brushing suggestively against his. Kai's own hands went to her hips, his mouth to the side of her pale, lovely throat. She swayed to the pounding music, nuzzling his chest. The hunger spiked sharply in both of them. Kai could smell the rich redness surging beneath his lifemate's skin, and the need for the taste of it was almost painful. The artery was pulsing with life beneath his lips.

"Taste me." Dara whispered softly, intimately. Kai groaned into the hollow of her shoulder. "Please, beloved? Anosha?"

"Oh, God, my love." He whispered as her tongue swirled over his franticly beating heart. "Don't _do_ that. oh, God, Dara!" A deep scratch from one of the princess's claws beckoned enticingly, stark scarlet against milk white. He cried out as her mouth went to suckle the slight wound, her eyes still locked on his. The feel of her feeding off him, in so tender and small a fashion, made him whimper with desire. Unable to stop himself, he grabbed her arm and dragged her off the dance floor to a dark corner. "My love, my. treat." He licked the slim line of her throat, his warm tongue leaving a hot, wet trail along her skin, before burying his fangs deeply into her flesh. Midnight's startled cry of ecstasy brought a wave of delicious heat and wicked lust burning through the two of them.

"How do I taste to you, my love?" She breathed, eyes shut tight against the intense pleasure.

_So damn sweet. I want more, more of this._

"Take more. Feed on me forever, please." His teeth sank deeper as she whimpered, trying not to beg to much. It would puff up his ego. When Kai's exquisitely icy fangs slid from her neck, she made a soft sound of disappointment. The wound closed, and she gazed up at him with a petulant, naughty puppy-dog expression.

"We're here. on a mission, my love, remember?" She gave him a seductive pout and then nodded and walked with him away from the others. Kai noticed her fingers gently caressed the spot where he'd bitten her.

***

Flashing lights of blue, green, and red gave everything a surreal, hellish look, and the sight of humans being openly fed upon by legions of demons, vampires, werewolves, vampaneze, etc. didn't help. Nicole herded Kenny and Max over to a lonely bar and bade them sit and wait. "If someone talks to you, talk back, but be polite. Act like you belong here." And with that she was gone, only to be replaced by three frightening looking vampires, a man and two women, all with spiky black hair and eyes alight with an animalistic glow.

"So, boys. Come here often?" The man asked. Kenny murmured, "All the time." He jumped when he felt fingers on the back of his neck.

"I don't see any marks." One woman said and reached out a hand toward Max. It was promptly slapped away by, of all people, Nicolina, the Arcerian Queen. What was she doing here?

"You haven't seen the rest of our bodies." She snapped, arms crossed as she glared up at the three much taller, larger night creatures. The shortest one was easily almost twice her size.

"Oh? Is that an invitation, then?" Another girl asked, smiling at Max.

"He's taken. They both are." Nicolina bit out angrily. Why was she so jealous of the girl smiling at Max? Why did it make her heart ache? "They have hosts. Taken, get it? Now, scram." It would have been comical to see the diminutive shifter sassing a trio of fully grown vampires, except for the fear that these vampires would drain them drier than a desert. 

"By whom?" The man asked. Nicolina realized she didn't know what to say. Kenny spoke up. "Eryka and Erynh deLupe." The other vampire shrugged.

"I've never heard of them."

"They're ancients, and very formidable." The three grown vampires merely grinned menacingly and reached for the smaller non-humans. At the last second, they recoiled, hissing in fury at something behind them. A cold, arrogant voice murmured, "Go find breakfast somewhere else. They're taken. Or do you really want to face me and my two lovely lady friends?" When they'd melted from sight, Kenny and the others turned to see a tall vampire, looking perhaps twenty, with dark eyes and soft, slightly curly brown hair a little past his chin.

"So," he said, studying his sharp fingernails, "you three," he shifted his gaze to them, "know Eryka deLupe. Is that right? Well, where is she? You don't know. Funny. I really thought you might know her. Very few know of Erynh."

"Wh-wh-who are you?"

"I am the vampire Lestat. Lestat deLioncourt, to be precise. You?"

"Kenneth Brucester." Lestat commented, "Nicole's new. companion."

"Maxwell Starr."

"Nicolina Tygre." The princess glared and announced haughtily. "Why did they leave so fast? There's nobody with you." Lestat paid little attention to Kenny, but looked intently at Max and Nicolina.

"I always travel with a brunette vampiress with a quick temper and a sharp sword. They know that, and they know she has a twin, just as formidable. Many have fought the deLupe sisters and died, or been horribly disfigured. They keep body parts as trophies, you know, depending on who they came from. Eryka has a lovely collection of werewolf teeth from when she was a child, and used to punch the other pups, knocking out their pearly whites. Hmm, hmm. Starr, you said, Mister Maxwell? Hmm. You should ask Dara about that. As for you, milady," the famous author/rock star smirked at the diminutive tigress, "hello. Where is Eryka deLupe?"

"Right here, you arrogant, self-satisfied, goddamn bloodsucking bastard leach son of a bitch!" Lestat turned to a furious vampire and murmured, "Good evening, O Moonrise of Midnight."

"You ass." Eryka grinned and glanced at Erynh, who asked, "Where's Louis?"

***

Dara walked calmly through the club until she reached a bar, tended by a boy who looked no older than seventeen, with reddish gold hair and mismatched eyes of violet and green. When he saw her, he nodded in greeting and smiled, though it was slow in coming. "Hello, Mother." Kai started in surprise. _Mother?!_ Jealousy, hot and furious, coursed through his veins along with blood that sang for murder.

"Armand." She said, then took a swipe at him. He dodged. "Don't call me that. People will get the idea we're related." To the others, she said, "When he enlisted in our army in the last war, he started calling me that because I would 'fuss' as they so incorrectly put it. I never fuss." The younger vampire, Armand, pitched his voice and mimicked, "Oh, are the shutters closed? Are there new strings in the bows? Is there enough water for our horses?"

"Do _not_ start, you impudent little squeaker. I had to tie you to your horse once because you, so grievously wounded as you were, couldn't sit up straight, yet insisted you go with me to rescue your thrice damned sire. I should smack you for that, and for putting that look on Kai's face." She grinned at him. "I'm down a wooden spoon today, or I would. Jaycen, Alexandre, and Sanguinex? Are they here?" The boy nodded, eyes downcast as he began to clean a tumbler glass. "What's wrong, Armand?"

"They are said to have turned." Midnight froze. "I don't know if it's true-"

"Silence."

"But, Dara-" 

"_Silence._" Kai and the others flinched at the iron in her voice, the frigid steel of authority. "The next person to say such a thing, break their jaw."

"Even one of the royals?"

"_Break their jaw_. Now, where are they?" Armand nodded to a table occupied by the well-known Sanguinex and two men almost identical to Mithainde. Jaycen and Alexandre. Midnight's look said she wanted to do this alone, and Kai let her. When she'd spoken with them for a few minutes, she grinned and laughed. Nodding, she waved and went back to the others. Grinning, she said, "They're fine. No turning, nah, they're good." In a mind whisper, she relayed, _Vampaneze are here, and others. We can't talk as freely. We'll meet them in Paris. We need to get out of here now, before Lestat attracts any trouble. If he hasn't already, I mean. what is he doing with them?_

She glided through the crowd, coming to Kenny, Max, and Nicolina with Lestat, Eryka, and Erynh. "Your Royal Brattiness, we need to leave. Now, please." The vampire aristocrat looked around. "Bad vibes, love. Let's go. We have a hotel, and someone you might want to meet." Midnight grinned at everyone's puzzled look. "Demon birdie." The girls all laughed, but the guys looked confused.

"Don't ask," Erynh giggled, "just. let's go. Okay?"

"Wasn't gonna, I swear." Louis dePointe duLac sighed.

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Okay, bad thing. Not bad, so much as, not good either. I've been diagnosed w/ ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). No joke.

Good thing: This chapter is about 13 pages long. Be happy. Another good thing: steam, lots of steam, in the next chappie. In fact, all steam. Be happy, and tell me how I did on it (the steaminess).

Ch19-22 have been posted, so you will definitely have to wait a bit for 23+. 


	20. Hunger and Desire

**A/N: Most of the dialogue is in Sanguinyte for this section; translation in parenthesis. For those who don't remember, Sanguinyte is vampire language. And, for any who want to learn, I can teach it to you. **

**Warning: very steamy, very passionate. Blood lust, physical lust, human sex, and vampire sex. You have been warned.**

**Chapter Twenty: Hunger and Desire**

"My. . . lady." Kai grinned as his mouth went to Dara's, kissing her gently. "Nin elda . . . nin jeale'nne, vieta unda . . . ." _(my lady. . . my dearest, darling one . . . .)_ He kissed her again, this time hard, his lips crushed to hers with bruising force as his hands went to her slender hips. It was night, midnight in fact, and utterly dark. The two vampires were in their hotel room, Kai looking hungrily into her eyes as he lowered her gently to the soft bed. 

The sheets were cool black satin, matching Midnight's black silk pajamas and Kai's own black sleeping wear. Dara's gorgeous ivory skin was stark against the darkness of both the bedclothes and the darkness of the room around them. Her eyes shone in the dim light from the moon, reflecting the pale white orb in the twin golden pools of her eyes. Kai's gaze raked over her trusting, beautiful face and down her black clad body, then back up to meet her eyes. He kissed her again, his mouth moving harshly against hers. He drugged her with that kiss, the heat of their bodies pressed together as his lips touched hers with savage dominance.

When he shut his eyes, Kai could hear her blood surging in her veins, the hot rush beneath her cool, soft skin. He wanted to taste her again, merge with her in their way as he let the hunger take over, as his fangs sank deeply into that satin softness, taking her life's blood. He groaned into her mouth at the thought of it, of the phantom pleasure it brought, the desire.

Dara put a hand to his soft cheek then slipped it to the nape of his neck, exerting only a little pressure, and she bared her pale, lovely throat to him, an offering to a god. He took the hint. Kai's mouth went obediently to her throat, but he didn't bite. His tongue ran teasingly over her flesh, lingering at the base of her throat. His fangs scraped gently over her skin, and she whimpered, begging for his dark touch, his crimson kiss. She resisted the urge to turn the tables, smack him, and bite him herself. Hard. If she did that, this would be the last time he would try to seduce her for a while.

"Dirin, anosha, dirin . . . pelan, nin sanguinem si nur'e, nin lani, pelan, dirin . . . dirin, naes, pelan naes!" She whimpered as his lips brushed the sensitive skin again, teasing her. "Pelan, nin eldo . . . ebris nie'. " _(Feed, beloved, feed . . . please, my blood is yours, my love, please feed . . . feed, now, please now! ----- Please, my lord . . . bite me.)_

"Nalosh, lani, nire enjae ninesa . . . hehehe . . . ." _(No, love, I'm enjoying myself . . )._ He found the pulsing vein, felt the hot, sweet blood rushing under her skin. He licked his lips, but still didn't bite. The tip of his tongue touched her throat, a small taste of her salty skin. Desire spiked in Midnight's blood, making her cry out. Kai's warm, wet lips went to her flesh, and he sucked hard, leaving a bruise like a shadow on her soft, delicate neck. She whimpered, squirming. "You can dish it, but can't take it? For shame, lani. You're mine, I'll give and take as I please." He nipped again, making her jump. One sharp fingernail went to the skin just above her breasts, traced a slow line down the slope of it to caress the hard nipple at the end, making her jump and arch into his touch. He continued tracing little designs up just a little higher. He placed a small scratch across one collarbone, leaving a line of red, stark crimson against snowy white. His tongue went out to trace the tiny beads of blood, catching them on the very tip of his tongue, savoring the taste. The vampiress in his arms whimpered, her hands clenching hard enough that her nails left bloody crescents in her palms as she tried to remain still. Heat washed through her body, a strange euphoria gripping her mind. It wasn't enough, what he was doing to her, she needed more or she'd go crazy.

"Pelan . . . pelan, Kai, cetsera sioln vekk mitsraln . . . pelan, nin lani, cetsera nur'e giran . . . ." _(Please . . . please, Kai, stop being so cruel . . . please, my love, cease your games .. . .) _ She reached a hand up to caress his skin, to alleviate this desire, if only a bit. Kai grinned and shackled her wrist in his grip before she could make contact with his body. "Kai . . .  I need to touch you . . . ." Hunger, fierce and sharp, surged through her with a terrible wave of heat. She suddenly detested the feel of her pajamas against her skin, wanted to be rid of them. Kai, sensing this, nuzzled the hollow of her shoulder, blowing hot, moist air against her skin. He kissed the cuts on her palm from her clenched fist, tasting her dark, ancient life force. But it was only a taste, and the slick, warm, wetness of his tongue against her skin made her tremble. The whisper of his lips over her skin, soft as a butterfly's wing, had her looking helplessly into his eyes, a silent plea for his bite. She wanted him, needed him more than anything she'd ever wanted in her life. Not just his blood, or his kiss, all of him, his touch, his scorching gaze, his body. Kai's fangs sank into the indigo vein visible-just barely- beneath the white ice of her skin at her wrist. Rich blood flooded his mouth, trickling past his lips to slip down the slope of her arm and drop away. Her eyes went wide, her breathing hitched. She could hear him sucking her blood, feel as the life was drained from her, but it didn't hurt. It was beyond exquisite, delicious, wondrous. She honestly didn't care if he killed her, as long as he kept feeding. "Yes, oh, yes . . .  loshan . . . oh, God . . . Kai . . . yes!"

_Sweet . . .  hot . . .  I want this, all of it.  More . . .  beloved, you are sweet._

His fangs slipped out of her wrist and he didn't suck, merely let the scarlet river pour into his mouth. _So hot, so good._

"Kai . . .  li, Kai, pelan, nosh nu . . . tiolse' nie' . . . lani nie' . . . . " _(Kai . . .  oh, Kai, please, won't you . . . touch me . . . love me . . . .)_ Dara whispered breathlessly, then cried out as he bit down again, this time much, much harder, the burning pain of his delicious feeding consuming her, borderline pleasure. Ecstasy made her cry out every time the pressure increased. Kai could listen to her pleas for him forever if he wanted, and he _so_ did. "Kai . . . Kai, please, please . . .  harder, Kai, please . . .  dear God . . . ." Flaming heat coursed through Dara's body, and she could do nothing but close her eyes as she lay, helpless, in Kai's arms as he drank from her. If he didn't stop teasing she'd go mad, she knew it. And Kai . . .

His body was trembling with the self-control it took for him to not ravish her, both in human fashion and vampire. He wanted her, needed her. There was hunger pulsing through his sweating body with every beat of his heart. Every whimper from Dara's hot little mouth was shoving him closer and closer to the brink of beastiality. He wanted to take her, her blood and her body, wanted to so much he could barely contain himself when Midnight breathed his name in an airy little sigh. That made him simply switch to the other wrist, as yet unmarked and unmarred. He'd fix that soon.

His fangs pierced her skin and the delicious, steaming hot blood flooded his mouth like the sweetest wine. His hunger nearly drove him mad as the crimson liquid flowed and suffused with him, trickling past his lips to stain her flesh and his. He gorged himself, watching her snowy skin pale even more under the onslaught of his feasting. Burning heat surged through him, making the desire he felt for her almost painful. He bit down harder, eliciting a cry of both pleasure and pain from Midnight's soft, blood red lips. "God, Kai, please harder, _please_!" 

He whispered huskily in her mind, telling her of all the delicious, wicked things he had in store for her. Dara's eyes were half closed, her cheeks flushed, so in contrast to the rest of her body. She was gasping, trying not to scream with the intoxicating pleasure Kai's hot mouth and icy fangs were giving her as he took her blood. In her mind, his dark, sexy voice reverberated. 

"_Dara . . .  ni nosih nu . . .  vekk mirosh . . .  Raksha, nin lani, ni _henesha_ phix nu. Nure ala nisha erval nosih  . . . ._" _(Dara . . .  I want you . . .  so much . . . Goddess, my love, I _hunger_ for you. You're all I'll ever want . . . .) _

He tore his mouth away from her wrist, watching the wound close preternaturally fast, then swift as lightning, he had her pinned, looking down into her shining eyes.

"Dara, nin lani, ni nosih nu, ni varha nu . . .  nure nim . . .  nure nim, nin vitamdas . . . " He slipped a button of her nightshirt out of its hole. "Liee'st nie' tiolse' nu, mekira lani te nu . . . . " _(Dara, my love, I want you, I need you . . . you're mine . . . you're mine, my lifemate . . ------ Let me touch you, make love to you . . . .). _ Another button was freed, and another. The vampire smiled down at her as she ran her blood red nails down his bare chest, drawing his blood. The scent of it made her all too aware of her hungers, for his blood, for his body . . .  Kai wasn't helping, nuzzling the now exposed pale skin, nipping once along the swell of her breast, making her jump. His mouth went down lower to kiss the soft skin of her flat stomach, trailing small, wet kisses up her body, past her heaving chest, to her shoulders and throat. 

"Can't I seduce you now, my love?" Dara whispered softly then gasped in pleasure as Kai's mouth traveled down to the pale swell of her breast, closing over the rosy bud of flesh at its tip. "Oh . . .  mmm, loshan, tira! Drem tira!" _(Yes, that! Do that!)_

The once human put a hand to her face and slid it down to cup one full, soft breast before going to the curve of her hip. "I love you, Dara." He kissed her gently, looking into her feral, amber eyes, cloudy with desire. "Ni lani nu." [9] His mouth crashed down onto hers with bruising force. There was nothing sweet or innocent about such a kiss as this, with Kai's lips parting to allow his lifemate to explore his mouth with her tongue. Her mouth was hot and wet, with the taste of innocence, even of humanity. Kai's own mouth held the coppery taste of Dara's blood. The princess put her arms around Kai even as he pulled her up to remove her unbuttoned shirt. They broke the kiss and the once human bared his throat. He whispered, "Please . . . please, my lifemate." His lifemate's soft, red lips went to his throat, parted to blow a breath of cool air against his skin. He cried out as her fangs pierced his flesh, as his sweet blood poured into her waiting mouth. Kai clutched her to him, holding her head firmly in place. "Sweet," he whispered, the ecstasy singing through him, "so sweet . . .  dear God, you don't know how good this feels . . . ." He cried out, bereft, when Dara pulled her head away. The wound on his neck did not close, but glistened with the fresh spilled blood. The vampiress' fingers gently touched the open bite, then brought her fingertip to her mouth. Her tongue went out to taste the scarlet sweetness, just a tiny taste, but the sight of her doing it drove him wild. His body tightened, his arousal nearly painful. Dara pushed him back and straddled him, his manhood brushing against the desire and heat between her legs. She caught her breath, trembling with want.

"Tiolse nie', pelan, nin lani . . .  nosh nu?" _(Touch me, please, my love . . . won't you?)_

"Loshan, li loshan, nin brenne unda, ni'sha." _(Yes, oh yes, my beautiful one, I will.)_ Kai put his hands to her waist, leaned her forward to catch one pert nipple in his mouth. He suckled gently, his fangs leaving a faint bite that shimmered red against her pale skin. He pulled back to look in her eyes, shining with hunger and passion. His mouth went to her breast again, hot and demanding. One hand slid up behind her to rest between her shoulder blades, urging her closer even as she arched her back.

"Kai, oh Kai . . . ."

_Darling, I am nowhere near finished yet. Believe me. For one thing, your clothes are still on._ His mouth left her breast and he again pulled his head back, flashing her a wicked grin. Something flashed in his eyes, and suddenly she was naked. _God, I love my powers. And the view. Lie down. And not on me._ She did as he said, trembling with desire. The wanting didn't go away either as he parted her legs and trailed kisses up her thigh. 

He licked the silky flesh of her inner thigh, making her whimper. "Kai . . . li, loshan, ebris tizera, pelan tizera!" _(Oh, yes, bite there, please there!) _ She cried out as his fangs sank deeply into the well of blood beneath the satin soft skin of her inner thigh. He drank greedily, drunk with the taste of her sweet crimson life, with its addictive spice taste and pleasant sweetness. He enjoyed the feel of her flesh under his lips, the way her fingers laced through his hair to add a bit of pressure. "Kai, Kai, please, I'm begging you . . . oh . . . ." He pulled his mouth away from the vampire bite, his lips smeared with blood, his ivory fangs scarlet with it.

"I can do so much more to you, darling. You know it, too. Sha nu sirmisha?" _(Will you submit?)_

"Loshan, nin lani." _(Yes, my love.)_ His mouth kissed the inside of her knee before blowing a gust of air up her thigh to the juncture of her legs. She whimpered, and waited. A blast of frigid breath against her core made her jump and squirm.

"Kai, _please!_" His tongue flicked out to taste her, to see how sweet she truly was. The warm wetness against her made her whimper. "Raksha and Ravanna, sha sith leik nie'? Vekk grallan . . . ." _(Goddess and God, will this kill me? So glorious. . . .)_ His mouth pleasured her seemingly for hours, making her cry out and beg, whimper for more, so much more, she was desperate for him. She needed him, couldn't live without this pleasure every night for eternity.

"Drem nu kina har lingesh nivar nosih sith? Drem nu?" _(Do you know how long I've wanted tgus? Do you?)_

"Nalosh . . . sihar nie'." _(No . . . show me.)_

"Li, ni'sha. Phix thynety, nin lani. Nu ken nivash kina." He straddled her, the nude vampiress breathing hard, eyes wide. "Ni nosih nu. Ni drem. Nisha var nu, phix thynety. Ken ni tiransh nu? Naes?" _(Oh, I will. For eternity, my love. You can never know. I want you. I do. I'll have you, for eternity. Can I take you? Now?)_ Her legs spread wider and his hand went under her back to lift her up slightly from the bed.

"Pelan . . .  drem." _(Please . . . do.)_ Her eyes held his, gold locked on gold.

"I love you, dearest."

"And I, you. Now, bite me, Kai." She quipped, grinning. His breathed hissed between his fangs, bared in a grin. He smiled and put his mouth to her throat. Dara held her breath, waiting for the pleasure/pain of his bite, just as her body waited for him to make love to her.
    
    As his fangs sank into her throat, he pierced her with exquisite ice, filling her with delicious fire. She cried out as he entered her, like a frigid dagger piercing the golden heat of her desire, and she put her arms about his neck, whimpering at the overwhelming goodness of it. Kai merely held her tight, not breathing, not daring to, eyes wide with passion, pleasure, and surprise. He was shaking, the princess could feel it, and she was shaking too, overwhelmed. For what seemed an eon, they were frozen, consumed by fire and lust and a powerful wave of love, and they just held each other. (A/N: **bold** is Kai's thoughts, _italics_ are Dara's)

**Dear God, I had no idea. this is**_                                                                                                                                    Raksha, I had no notion.this is                                                                                                                     _

**wondrous, this is glorious, let me stay here                                                                                                               **_ delicious, this is perfect, let me stay here_

**like this with her forever, don't ever let this                                                                                                           **_ like this with him for eternity, don't ever let this_

**end God please, this  is . . .  heaven. I am in                                                                                              **_end Raksha please, this is . . .  heaven. I am in_

**heaven in her arms. Oh, my love . . .                                                                                                                   **_ heaven in his arms. Oh, my love._

The princess of the vampires gasped trembled in her lover's arms as he began to move within her, creating that amazing friction as he surged into her and out. The pace wasn't gradual, but instantaneous, going from utter stillness to furious, hot movement. He bit down harder, ravenous for the blood he could never get enough of. Nothing could slake this thirst for her, nothing could sate this all-consuming desire. Kai loved her hard, his mouth moving against her throat as he fed on her sweet blood. Her nails raked down his back as wave after blessed wave of heat and lust and sweet, sweet pleasure washed over her. She was drowning in Kai's embrace, his vampire's kiss, their love for each other. 

She shut her eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder. She could hear the life flooding his veins, pumping hard in his body as he continued to make love to her. Thirst washed through her, burning her almost as desperately as Kai's hunger. She screwed her eyes shut tight, nuzzled his shoulder like a kitten. Kai growled low in his throat as she kissed the flesh at his throat. All it did was make her want him all the more. Her eyes snapped open, glowing golden in the darkness, shining with want and hunger and need. Her warm, wet tongue flicked out to taste his hot, salty skin, feeling the pounding rush of his life force through his delicious body. Trying to content herself, she sucked gently on the side of his neck, leaving a small love bite. Kai groaned even as he surged into her again, biting down so hard that his fangs met in her flesh. She gasped, her eyes wide, then rested her cheek against Kai's shoulder, enjoying the feel of him inside of her. She whispered in his ear, "I love you, Kai. I'll always love you." Her fingers slipped into his hair, damp with sweat, as she breathed, "Feed, anosha. I need you to feed from me." Blood trailed from the bite down her shoulder and back, down past her clavicle to trickle into the valley between her breasts. Kai didn't care, only cared about the sweet taste of her, the feel of her body clenching around him, the delighted cries she made, both in her mind and aloud.

_Is it good, Midnight?_

_Gods, yes! Don't you _dare _stop._

_Bite me. Take from me as I take from you._

Dara moaned as his fangs slid from her skin. She didn't want him to stop. _Feed from me, _Kai insisted. She couldn't resist, couldn't deny him. Her lips, lush and wet and trembling, parted and she bit down, Kai's blood springing forth from the wound into her mouth. She prayed this would never end. Her fingernails pierced the skin on his back, making his arch into her embrace, bringing a rush of blood. She could smell it, taste it, and she wanted more of it, even as she realized it was beginning to end. 

_Damn, _she thought, then groaned as Kai's rich, dark blood began flooding her mouth, pouring down her throat to infuse her system with pleasure and delicious heat.

Kai himself was shaking with the feeling and the enormity of what he and Midnight were doing. The pain and pleasure of her feeding off of him was amazing, the burning on his back from her nails merely heightening his pleasure. It was glorious. He could feel himself beginning to shatter, his control to slip. God, but she was so tight around him, deliciously wet and creamy. It was heaven, and it was hell, being inside her like this. She was an angel he worshipped with his body, a goddess. He continued to make love to her, giving her everything, making her gasp with the supreme pleasure of their joining, Midnight began to whimper against his skin even as she continued to drink from him. Something in him snapped, and he was jolted by this shock wave, a tsunami of warmth and peace and utter "oh-my-God-this-is-_it_" slicing into the passion between the two vampires. 

Dara cried out, telepathically calling his name as something in her shattered under the onslaught of his love, both physical and emotional. She arched her back as she felt him climax, as her own release threatened to make her pass out. Her vision grew slightly hazy, so she closed her eyes and withdrew her fangs from Kai's body. Her arms tightened around him, making him hold her just as tight. She let out a shaky breath and looked up at her lover and lifemate.

Everything around Kai dissolved, turning black, and all he could see was her beautiful face looking up at him, her enchanting eyes wide, shining with love and adoration. He might have said her name, he didn't know, but she closed her eyes, sighed contentedly. Then, she laughed softly. "It's two in the morning." She thought for a moment. "Wow. That was . . . that was wow."

"What was that, lani?" Kai asked softly, kissing her forehead. "What was that feeling?"

"That is what is known as an orgasm." He smirked at her.

"Just wow?"

"Can't think of anything else to say. Maybe, 'Oh, my God,' but that's about it. Kai?"

"Hmmm?" She looked up at him and gave that gorgeous, sexy toss of her head to get her hair out of her face. Her eyes were serious.

"Again." She murmured it softly, then said, "Again!" like a two-year-old saying, "Mine!"

"Hmmm?" He smiled indulgently.

"Wow me again. Please. I want you again. I want you to take me again. All night. Please."

"Good."

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Finally. It's about time those two did something. Huh. That chapter was over 5 pages long. So I deserve some feedback, I'd think.

How was that? R/R, please!


	21. What Happens Between Lifemates

Chapter 21: What Happens Between Lifemates  
  
"Why are we waiting for evening? It's five flippin' o'clock already!" A nightwoman, with long, straight brown hair to her waist and hazel green eyes, with slightly tanned skin, glared at the clock, then groaned in annoyance.  
"Ravyn, you may be able to travel in daylight, but you promised us a ride, and that has to be done at night." Midnight murmured, sitting on Kai's lap in the big, black leather chair they were sitting in. "Don't you dare forget. In all my long years, I've never ridden."  
"Hey, excuse me, damn it, but I am not a horse." She frowned, not in annoyance, but sadness, and looked out the window. "No shadow on the moon." She whispered, "Not a one, no wings that shine with emerald light, no jade eye of the King of Earth..." She spoke it so breathlessly, nobody heard the words, only saw her lips move. Well, nobody but Dara. On a distaff mind link- excluding any males- she said, His Highness has yet to arrive, but he will come soon.  
You don't know that.  
Please! Don't I? This is the Head of the Black Dragon royal family! That pansy's never been late in his immortal life.  
I hate you. He's not a pansy! He's King of the World, in case you've forgotten! Don't make fun! Ravyn scowled at Dara, irritated. Nobody called her soultwin a pansy. He was nowhere near pansy hood yet, and it was a bonus that he was so sensitive to her moods. That was what lifemates did.  
Ravyn Starr was a dragoona, a Dragon shifter that fed on blood and celestial light. Most dragons were carnivores or vegetarians, but dragoons were vampires in dragon form, and from them the Starr witches, who were part vampire and also very powerful, had come. Max was related to her, though he didn't know it. Dara hadn't told anyone but Kai the trouble she'd had with Max's conversion, but the reason behind that was the witch blood in his veins. Dark blood tended to attack other strains, unless a blood bond had already been established between the two.  
A shadow passed over the moon, and the dragon lady's eyes went wide with obvious hope. When the wind began to pick up outside, Ravyn let out a joyous cry and flew across the room, down the stairs, and out the door. A loud, melodious call, like the ringing of a bronze bell, trumpeted from the front lawn as the others followed her outside. When they found the shifter, she was in the arms of a tall, lean man with spiky black hair and glasses. He wore a dark green sweater and black jeans, and his arms were around Ravyn, hugging her, resting his cheek on the top of her head, a grin plastered on his face. His sparkling, hazel green eyes, almost identical to Ravyn's, were bright with happiness and exhilaration. The Blade Breakers watched in amazement as Ray, Stacy, Nicolina, Eryka, Erynh, and Josh all went forward and then went down on one knee before this newcomer. Ravyn, a look of realization on her face, stepped back and curtsied deeply. Then, looking up, she grinned and threw herself back into his arms. He kissed her on the cheek, looking down at her affectionately.  
"Kai Kaido, may I introduce His Imperial Highness, the King of the Earth, Master of the Shifter World, Lord of Shape Shifters, His Majesty Devin Black, the Ruler of the Dragonfold. Devin Black, this is my lifemate, King of Europe, Master of the Nightworld, Lord of the Vampires, and Captain of the Blade Breakers, His Highness, Kai Hiwatari. Ravyn is his soultwin, which is why she can't let go of him and stop grinning like a fucking idiot." The brunette dragon in question stuck her tongue out at Midnight and let go of the dark-haired lord.  
"I'm surprised you had enough room to land, let alone shift, Devin." Nicole, the red-haired vampire scientist murmured.  
"Me, too, Nicole, believe me." The dragon said. Kai gave him a questioning look. "Because of genetics, my family shapeshifts into the largest dragons in the world. I'm almost the same size as the Empire State Building." He shrugged self-consciously. People thought his size was impressive, but it wasn't really that big of a deal. "Ravyn's a little over half that. So, you want a ride to the Midnight Railways." All of a sudden, he was the confident, lazy king of a vast empire, smiling a bit smugly at people asking a favor. "Donna Scarletti," Stacy perked up, "how are the cubs?"  
"They're okay. Franco, Toni, and Rico are in the cootie phobia stage, and Tasha wants to know when she can see you again."  
"Tell her soon. Well, let's get going, shall we. Back up." Doing as they were bid, the other creatures of the night backed up and pressed themselves against the walls of the hotel. The wind picked up again, and a bank of fog rolled in suddenly, dewdrops sparkling in the moonlight. Devin and Ravyn's images, now silhouettes against the white orb of the moon, blurred and morphed, growing both longer and taller. Something made Kai's gaze unfocus and slide off the image of the two shifters. When the feeling went away, Kai looked up in awe into a pair of bright, jewel-like green eyes with slit pupils like a cat's. Each eye was the size of a big screen TV, if not bigger, and set in a face kind of like a wolf's, with a long muzzle and jagged, sharp looking teeth. The scales on the thing were a green so dark it was almost black, and the thing was huge. The neck was about as long as an eighteen wheeler, the head the size of two minivans. The body... the body was vast, and the tail was just as long as the body. The legs were thicker around than the trunk of a red wood tree, and the paws were just as big as the eyes. The claws were at least a yard long and half a foot in diameter at the base. They were sharp as hell. His great wings were huger than huge, and none of them doubted the power of those wings. This was the Lord of the House of Black, the greatest of the dragons and the greatest of the Shifters, with a bearing only the ancient royals could muster. He looked dangerous, dark, and pretty damn cool.  
Beside him was a dragon with shimmering, blue-green scales and green eyes, about half his size, with butterfly wings of shimmering green. The dragoness's head stretched out on its long, elegant neck and nuzzled the other dragon's shoulder, keening in the Dragon's tongue. They then crouched down and made ready for the trip to the train tracks.  
  
"That's so cool, Devin!" Ravyn looked over the prince's shoulder at the custom-made black lap top computer. What she thought was cool was the musical keyboard that connected to the keyboarding software on the hard drive. Devin Black's passion was music, specifically, piano and keyboard. The dragoona loved hearing him play. It was one of her favorite things in the world. The passion and beauty of his playing took her breath away. "Some things about you take my breath away, too." He said, smiling, as he continued writing the melody. "What is it?" "It's called 'the Windsong.' F sharp. How's that solo of yours coming, anyway?" He looked up at her kindly when she sighed in frustration. "Can't get it?" "It doesn't sound right on the violin I'm using, but Carol says I can't use the electric gypsy violin until the actual performance." Devin looked thoughtful. "That doesn't really make sense. You need to get the feel for how that thing sounds. I'll talk to Carol about it. Can you do me a favor? That one room in the palace needs a new piano, can you order it for me?" "Sure. What's wrong with the old one?" "Middle C sticks, it's old, out of tune, and three of the keys are missing. Plus, Mother wanted to put a baby grand in there anyway." The dragoness nodded and trotted off. "Not even a kiss, can you believe it? My gosh... oh. Forget something?" The Prince asked cheekily of his soultwin as she came back in. She gave him her "don't-sass-me-little-boy" look, then she smiled and put her arms around his shoulders from behind. "Besides the hugging, I mean." She kissed his cheek. "Besides that." Ravyn sighed and plopped herself down beside him on the seat. The king of the dragons looked down into her eyes (he was about seven or eight inches taller than she was) then kissed her warm, soft lips gently. The berserker shifted her weight to lean into Devin as her hands went up to hold onto his shoulders. Her long, brown hair fell over her shoulders, and the Prince wrapped a strand of it around two fingers to feel its silkiness. He loved her hair. Devin broke away to look into her eyes for a minute, so like his own, before his lips met hers again, a sweet caress. His soft, mental voice whispered in her thoughts, teasing her with wicked suggestions. Ravyn pulled away to grin up at him, then tried to sober herself. "Behave," she admonished, "or you're sleeping on the couch." "So harsh... huh, very well." He kissed her once more before shoving her playfully off the seat. She landed in a heap on the floor, crying, "Hey!!" "Go, away with you, O Wings of Sapphire, before I start to misbehave." "I like the sound of that, actually." Without thinking, he replied, "So do I... hey, wait, shoo! Away with you, temptress! His elegant fingers waved her out of the room and he telekinetically shut the door. "Dearest, darling girl...." I can hear you. Devin smiled at her comment. Some of your thoughts are so flattering. Some of them leave me absolutely breathless. Some of my thoughts leave me breathless, too. Oh, brother. Devin laughed at the telepathic image of her pained expression. Ravyn smiled fondly as she pushed herself away from the wall she'd been leaning on and began walking down the aisle of the train. She glanced to her left and her right when she caught a familiar psychic scent, the residue of power left behind by a Dark being. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Stacy stepped out from behind the mental shield she'd erected and shouted, "Chicken!" The Asian-American had a habit of shouting chicken for no apparent reason when one least expected it. Ravyn shrieked, "Jeez! Stacy, don't do that! I have bad heart, remember?" "You did? Huh. I sorry. Careful of your thoughts, though, the windows might steam up." "Hey, nothing you and that playboy from the Mafia haven't done, I'd wager." "I'm scared now, man, seriously. Come on, you can order your beloved Devin's piano later. Council is up, the Dark Ladies." Ravyn nodded, sobering up and trotting to catch Stacy as she turned and began walking away. Ravyn wondered what was up.  
  
"Women." Kenny sighed, looking haggard. The other men nodded in agreement, except Enrique, Devin, and Kai. The Italian shifter grinned at the memory of his lifemate's silliness. Devin and Kai exchanged glances. They were both High Dark Lords of different Dark Races, with very... understanding, generous lifemates, or in Devin's case, soultwin.. The Dragon Prince and the Vampire King grinned at the memories of just how generous their women could be.  
"Nicole working you too hard?" Max asked, thinking fondly of Nicolina, whom he was beginning to like.  
"Oh-ho, yessss." The Chief sighed, pushing his glasses back up his nose. Tyson shook his head, muttering, "I don't understand why you put up with those girls." Devin shrugged his lean shoulders and replied nonchalantly, "Tyson, you just don't understand the ladies."  
"I suppose you do."  
"Of course. I have Ravyn. She's easy to understand... if you're me."  
"Only if you're a horny bastard, I'd bet." Tyson replied waspishly. Devin laughed and shook his head.  
"She won't come near me, then."  
"That has got to suck."  
"Nah, I can use it to make her feel bad later when she says the forbidden word." He grinned fondly at one prominent memory of such an instance.  
"What's the forbidden word?"  
"No. She's never allowed to say no when I ask her for... stuff." Just then, a red haired vampire walked into the compartment, getting the Prince's attention.  
"She's playing, Dev." Nicole said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder to point down the hall. The black dragon shifter shoved his hands in the pockets of his black pants and began walking out of the room, whistling gaily. (A/N: happily, not homosexually, for all you morons and sick-minded folk out there.) "Oh, my God... the two of them are hopeless. And so are they," she nodded at Kai's retreating figure as he met Midnight by the window and began walking away from the others. Tyson shrugged.  
"I don't get it! What's the big deal with the girls... oh, wow...." Tyson stared at a girl walking down the hall, with lightly curled blond hair and porcelain skin, wearing a green shirt with camouflage sleeves and a black skirt. He stood up from the chair he was sitting in and began following her.  
"Like a dog in heat. Kinda scary." Nicole said sarcastically, then smiled wickedly at Kenny.  
  
"Devin, stay away." Was all she said as Ravyn's violin let out a haunting little melody, as she played out the sorrow she was feeling.  
"Must I?" The dragon looked at his lifemate with big, hazel eyes wide with innocence and a puppy-dog expression. "Truly?" Ravyn's eyes flicked to just below Devin's waist then back up to his face.  
"Yes." She smirked at the light blush dusting his cheeks.  
"But, Ravyn..." He came a little closer, but her eyes were now closed and she didn't notice. The bow of the violin rubbed up and down the strings, and Devin crept ever closer, mesmerized by the movements of the dragoona's playing. When he got close enough, he quickly wrapped his arms around her, making her jump and try to get away. "Ah-ah, no way... you owe me for the last time... hold good and still...." She squeaked when his warm mouth brushed a kiss against her shoulder, then trailed small, wet kisses up the side of her neck.  
"Devin, behave... please..." His long, nimble fingers swept her hair from hanging in her face, out of his way as he turned her to face him, his mouth latching onto hers in a searing kiss. Ravyn practically melted into the warmth of his embrace and kiss, putting her arms around his neck. Devin broke the kiss to rub his cheek against the softness of her lovely chestnut hair.  
"Ravyn, my dearest..." The girl smiled at the breathy reverence in his voice. "May I have..." He looked down into her eyes, the same color as his own, before his lips met hers again, passion making him harsh. He gave her just enough time to put down the violin before he pulled her into his arms again, crushing her to him as they kissed fiercely. Her soft, lush lips parted at his mental plea, allowing his tongue entrance to her mouth. His lips moved over hers slowly, ever so slowly, gently, the softest brush against her mouth as she kissed back with exquisite sweetness. He broke away, breathing heavily as heat flooded his body. "A kiss...." He whispered before kissing her cheek, kissing the line of her jaw, the side of her throat. His tongue left a trail of warm wetness over her skin as she whimpered, trying not to beg for more.  
"Devin, that's not fair." His sparkling eyes laughed at her petulant outburst before closing as if in pain. "Devin?"  
"You are so beautiful." He kissed her forehead, smiling down at her tenderly. His smile turned to a grin as she whispered, "I know."  
  
The creatures of the night were wary. Things were too quiet in the train station. Only Ravyn and Stacy knew how quiet.  
The once-shifter and the dragoona bit back screams as steel sliced through their flesh. Stacy was crying, but Ravyn was simply trying to keep her mind blank, careful not to alert Devin. If her lord knew she was in pain, in danger, he would find them and try to fight their attackers. He didn't have room to shift, and there were too many of the enemy for him to fight in his human form.  
A cold, scaled hand snaked in front of her, and the berserker bit down hard on the wrist, severing the appendage from the rest of the arm. She spat frigid blood, then shrieked as cobra venom suddenly shot through her system, pumping from the bite in her shoulder. She gasped, trying not to cry, trying not to scream again. But needles of ice and fiery spikes were shooting through her shoulder, her left arm, and across her chest. A frightening numb feeling spread through her shoulder and most of the left side of her body, through the side of her neck. She could feel the poison pulsing in the jugular artery and vein even as her vision grew dim.  
"Ravyn!"  
"Dev-in...." The last thing she heard was a heart-stopping, murderous roar, and a familiar mental voice cried in despair, Ravyn!  
  
Devin's eyes went wide with fury and shock as he saw his soultwin go limp. Those monsters had hurt his soultwin, woman, the most important, pure, lovely thing in the world... black rage surged through him as every emotion washed away from him. There was only himself, his soul pulsing through his physical shell as he felt it come over him. Draconic anger. Hatred. Madness. It was deeper, darker, stronger than all those things. It consumed him, burning away his natural gentility and sweetness as the deadly, internal fires swept over and through him. His eyes, once a sparkling hazel green, were now a green so dark they were almost black, and the fires of insane fury roared to life in the depths of his gaze. Everyone quickly got away from him. Everyone, that is, except Enrique Scarletti, the Jaguar Prince and the representative of Italy in the Bey world.  
Enrique's usually tranquil blue eyes were golden, burning with loathing and contempt, the need for vengeance, even as the change took over. His hair, already soaked so it lay flat against his skull, began bristling and changing, growing darker and darker, from his usual light, light blond to a tawny color like a leopard's fur. Spots began to show themselves along his skin, up his arms and legs. He shrugged out of his jacket and shirt, tossed them to the side. His well-muscled chest began sprouting the spotted, orange fur of the Jaguar as his teeth lengthened, becoming jagged fangs. His fingernails and finger tips shifted to accommodate sheathed wild cat claws. His tail, long enough to hover just an inch off the ground, flicked agitatedly from side to side as his body continued to shape shift. His golden eyes slit like a cats, the pupils turning red as blood. His bones began popping and twisting, his internal organs shifting, his skin rippling and molding, his entire body changing to that of a large wild cat. He was in fact thirteen times larger than a normal jaguar. Enrique roared a challenge in his cat form and growled.  
Devin, too, was shape shifting, but into his half-and-half form. Large, leathery wings sprouted from his back, black skin and dark green scales. His fingernails grew long, dagger like, dangerously sharp, pointy things of black, that shimmered like hematite. The Dragon King also grew taller and broader, like a titan from Greek legend. His white, white teeth glittered menacingly when he bared them in a frighteningly twisted parody of a smile. The muscles in his arms, chest, and shoulders seemed to be growing larger, but that was due to all the extra energy coursing like frigid, exquisite ice through his veins. The dark lord growled, both in terrible fury at what these bastards had done to Ravyn, and pleasure of the change. His dark, stormy eyes focused on the Serpiente shifters, the snake people, holding the two Dark women.  
"Let. Her. Go." Devin said quietly, so melodiously that for an instant the enemy moved as if to obey. Then, shaking his head, the Panther holding Ravyn smirked.  
"No chance, your Highness. Do you realize the kind of fun me and my boys could have with this little fire lizard? Besides, Ravyn Elliot the dragoona berserker, consort, soulmate, and lifemate to the King of all shifters... pretty sweet bargaining chip... what the-?" Devin was gone. The viper holding Stacy whirled around at a shrill, agonized shriek. Devin stood, holding Ravyn with one hand, the other hand embedded in the traitorous shape shifter's chest. Devin pulled his hand out, covered with the blood of the Serpiente, as his enemy fell to the ground. His chillingly malevolent gaze transfixed the other snake so he couldn't look away. But that wasn't possible. Only the Serpiente, witches, and vampires could pin others with their gaze.  
"Behind you." Was all he said. When the second snake turned in the other direction just as Enrique's powerful jaws closed about his prey's throat, he ripped it out. The death scream gurgled in the bloody, ground beef looking mess. The vampiress fell to the ground, and the big cat went up to her, sniffing, then began vigorously licking Stacie's cheek.  
Enrique?  
Stacy... wake up, cuddle bunny.  
Don't call me cuddle bunny.  
Ravyn calls you that.  
Then I leave her all by her lonesome. A small, dark skinned hand went up to stroke the cat's nose. The jaguar then shifted back into an almost completely naked Enrique.  
"Stacy... come on, Stacy love, hold onto me. You'll be okay." Devin looked over to the other couple before lifting Ravyn into his arms and carrying her like she was a mere child. He kissed her forehead and nuzzled her hair, breathing in her clean, jasmine smell. It was tainted now by the scent of the poison in her system. He should have killed those shifters slower- much slower, he thought acidly- but he knew God would punish them as they deserved for what they'd done to his lifemate.  
"Come on, you guys." Erynh whispered.  
"Yeah, before something else comes." Eryka continued.  
"Yeah, man, we're kinda low on time." Josh said.  
  
Ravyn awoke in her room on the train, sadly alone. She sat up, looked around. Devin? As soon as she called his name, he was at her side, which was good because she was close to fainting. "Why is the room spinning?"  
"You were bitten, love."  
"By whom?"  
"Serpiente." Devin gently laid her back down, waiting for her to catch her breath. "How do you feel?" She sighed, whispered, "Good, surprisingly good, and yet... incredibly bad. Am... am I going to die, Dev?"  
"No. The poison just made you sick. You'll be alright soon." He smiled down at her as she closed her eyes, then snapped them open again. "If you're tired, you should sleep." She shook her head. "I'll sing to you if you like."  
"Yes, please." The dragon king brushed a lock of hair from her face and began singing.  
  
"If you lose your eyes,  
Avalon,  
you will see  
and if you lose your faith,  
Avalon,  
you will believe  
and if you lose your blood,  
Avalon,  
no more will you bleed  
and if you lose all your desires  
never more will you need  
  
and if you lose your light,  
Avalon,  
you will glow  
and if you lose your mind,  
Avalon,  
you will know  
and if you lose your youth,  
Avalon,  
no more will you grow  
and if you learn to stand your ground  
there will be no were left to go."  
  
Ravyn was asleep, breathing deeply, serene. Devin kissed her lips gently and left her.  
  
"I'm sleepy." Stacy said, cuddling with Enrique. The Italian shifter kissed Stacie's cheek and hugged her. "Tell me a bed time story, please."  
"Are you sure you want a story?" She nodded. "Maybe you should just go to sleep, Stace. Hmm?" She shook her head, pouting. He could never resist that pout, especially with that gorgeous mouth of hers. She blinked her lovely, dark eyes at her lifemate slowly, waiting.  
"Here's a story. Once, there was a beautiful Jaguar, named Stacy." The Asian girl looked at Enrique like he was crazy. "And the Prince of the Jaguars had fallen in love with the beautiful girl. So, he asked her to be his girlfriend. And do you know what she said?"  
"She said, 'What!? You must be out of your mind, dawg! I wouldn't go out with you if you were the last guy on Earth!' Is that right?" Stacy grinned at Enrique, who sighed in exasperation.  
"But he won her anyway. And they got married and had four kids. You know what she said after that?"  
"Um... 'Mia Dio! Stop poking me with that thing! Gosh!'" Enrique looked at her incredulously.  
"I don't remember you ever saying that to me, Stacy."  
"I might have been thinking it. For all of thirty seconds, before I was thinking, 'I love you, Enrique.'"  
"Does the command 'don't stop' come in there anywhere?"  
"Hentai." She whapped him with a pillow.  
"Ouch." Blue eyes locked with brown ones as Stacy and Enrique kissed each other gently. "Mmm... not ouch."  
"Hmmm. I think 'don't stop' might come into the conversation soon."  
"How soon?" "Depends, doesn't it?" Stacy grinned. 


	22. Battles

Chapter Twenty-two: Battles  
(6 months later)  
  
"The girls were attacked by rogue shifters." Midnight said softly, almost to herself. She glanced at her Inner Circle, then at her lifemate. Kai's face was expressionless, as were all the guys', but she could feel the hatred and terrifying rage underneath the calm exterior. Nobody messed with the women. It had taken the fact that Ravyn and Stacie were so very close to death to snap Devin and Enrique out of their cold, mind numbing rage. She took a tentative look at Robert Jerkin, who burst into a heated debate. "It was the Serpiente! You said so yourself, Lady Vaperio! They've joined the rogues, the evil ones! You know it's true!" "Robert, you know the Serpiente are just as prone to having rogues among them as the rest of us!" Nicolina cried angrily. "It doesn't mean Seth's betrayed us, he wouldn't do that! You know how he feels about our standing with humans. If evil Serpiente mean Seth's a traitor, than the Crowes that attacked my entourage are indicators of where your loyalties lie!" "You dare to imply-" "Shut up, you old buzzard, for Christ's sakes!" Eryka glared at the violet- haired, British shifter. Robert glared daggers, not at Eryka, but at her lifemate, Lestat, and his lazy, sardonic, amused smirk/grin. Eryka continued to shoot down the Avian prince's hateful tirade. "Seth sent his people to aid us in battles past. He's on our side. Believe me, no Shifter of any race would dare face the wrath of His Highness, Devin Black, and you know it. No citizen of the Dark World is that stupid. You know if they were our enemy, and posed a threat to Ravyn, he'd fry all Germany to protect her. Everyone knows that. Nobody in their right mind would risk it. So, can we put aside the bureaucratic meetings? Thank you. We have a more important thing to discuss, and if none of you have felt the mindless rage rolling off all the vampires present, you need to have your heads examined." Kai and the others, now that their attention was brought to it, were very much aware of the black auras surrounding the girls and the older vampires they'd come to know. Only Kai knew the reason. He'd been with Midnight when she'd received word that Sangria, the village in Vaperio Hall's shadow, had been decimated. He remembered her reaction.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
"Dara? Dara?!" Kai stared at the vampiress as the letter fell from her limp fingers. Anguish was pouring out of her, and her eyes were shining with unshed tears. "Dara, what is it?" She turned to Kai, conflicting emotions shimmering in her eyes. There was terror, love, sadness, horror, hatred, and rage in her eyes. There was a strange, unnatural bruised look in her eyes. He almost wanted to slap her, to get that terrifying expression off of her face, that horrible look out of her eyes. Had she gone insane? "Do you know who was in Sangria, Kai?" Her voice was deceptively calm, unfeeling. "Sangria? The village? No, who? Did something happen to the village?" "The village has been destroyed, Kai. All the mortals there were killed. Do you know who else was there?" He shook his head in confusion. Why did she sound so weird, so monotone? She was starting to scare him, badly. "Mithainde. Jaycen. Alexandre. They were all killed." Her lifemate gazed at her in horror and sympathy. Three of her brothers... "Their lifemates?" "They're coming here. Oh, my God, Kai, oh, my God...."She reached for him as he reached for her, and she fell into his arms and screamed, and screamed until her voice cracked and she couldn't speak a word, just sobbed and sobbed into Kai's chest. He kissed the top of her head and held her, mumbling soothing words in her ear, praying this was a nightmare. But he knew it wasn't. And he knew she was in danger because of that fact.  
  
(End Flashback)  
  
"We are all aware of what happened in Sangria, and extend our condolences to both the vampires as a race and to the Vaperio family for the loss of your brothers, Princess." Robert's tone took on a subdued note, almost pitying. Midnight hated him for that look. His pity wouldn't bring her brothers back. Wouldn't bring her twin back. Mithainde. Andy. Her dearest friend and companion, her brother. He'd always been the one to take care of her, always. And if there was ever a time he wasn't there, Jaycen and Alexandre would be. She felt their loss keenly. She needed to be away from the Council, away from everyone but Kai. She wanted to forget everything for a while. Kai could make her forget. She was also worried about Talleri, Jasmine, and Bianca, her brothers' lifemates, as well as Stacie. All four of them were pregnant, and all four of them were Shifters. Due to the intense sorrow, as well as the physiological and psychological trauma of losing a lifemate, the three women were in serious danger of miscarriages, and Stacie, due to the effects of the snake venom in her first trimester, was as well. "I, on behalf of the Vaperio royal family, give sincerest thanks, Dark Council members. But, now is the time for grieving, and we have some time before militarial decisions must be made. So I request that we take a seven day recess." Kai, looking at Dara's pain filled eyes, made this announcement softly and calmly. He wanted to be alone with her now, to help her get through this hardship, or, if she wanted, help her forget. "Of course." Nicolina murmured, and everyone swiftly left the room. Kai threw up a psychic lock on the door, as well as a psychic, physical, and aural shield. "You're a quick study." Dara murmured before rising and coming to stand in the center of the room. "I'm proud of you, my love." "Dara-" "Kai, I want to forget. Please. For tonight, let me forget everything. Love me. Love me so hard it's all I'll be able to think of. Please, Kai." The once human put his arms around her and kissed her hard, her soft lips sensual and yielding under the onslaught of his mouth. His tongue slid into her mouth, exploring her, even as his hands slid down from her shoulders to cup her full, soft breasts. His palms brushed over her breasts teasingly, making her gasp and arch into his touch. He could sense she didn't want foreplay tonight, only fast, hard loving that would leave her too hot and needy to think about anything. Her clothes swiftly found their way on the floor, as did Kai's, and this time, he didn't take her blood, not even a taste. He simply reveled in the feel of her as he slipped into her soft, welcoming body, listening to her cry out and moan, whimper and sigh as he pleasured her. "Dara, you're so soft, so sweet-" "Harder, Kai, make me forget!" "Oh, beloved...." Kai whispered. She gasped and cried out in ecstasy as he filled her with wicked fire, blocking out all rational thought until she was too exhausted to even feel bereft as he finally left the warmth of her body to lie beside her and watch her fall asleep. "Well, sweetness, that's one battle fought." She didn't respond. She'd been out before her head hit the pillow of his chest. "I made you forget. But how long will this work?"  
  
Kai and Dara awoke in each other's arms, warm and lazy and sated. Even as her bright eyes dimmed at the memory of everything that had happened, she touched Kai's lips with gentle fingers, tracing them lovingly. "It hurts." "I know, baby, I know." "Last night felt so good, Kai. Can't we do it again?" He had her on her back, eagerly awaiting his invasion, when a psychic call just brushed their minds and retreated a respectful distance. Someone needed them. "Damn." The vampire snarled under his breath. Midnight sent a thought on a distaff line- I'm busy. Is it important? The response she got took her breath away. Pain, all too familiar, laced with terror, both feminine and infantile. The pain carried a familiar psychic scent... Stacie. "Oh, my dear God! Kai, get dressed, now! Stacie's in trouble!" Dara was fully dressed in jeans, white tank shirt, and denim jacket, in her favorite pair of moccasins, and Kai wasn't too far behind as she rushed from the room. "Dara, what's wrong?" The only thing he felt was an uprising of female terror, utter terror, and all from the women in the Scarletti palazzo. No men, none, nothing from them, but every female, from the modern house cat to the toddler girls to the eldest Dark woman, was totally petrified. "What is it?" He wasn't prepared for the surge of knowledge she sent like the slam of a stone wall his way. Poison. That's what had them all in an uproar. Stacie had started going into labor two months early, due to the fact that someone here in the palazzo had been feeding her poison all through her pregnancy. He understood why the women were suddenly so upset. Stacie had been pregnant twelve times. She only had four children. Miscarriages were far too common among the Shifters. She couldn't bear to lose another baby. He didn't think Enrique could, either. "Kai, go find the boys. Find the slut-faced bitch who did this." "It was a woman?" "Oh, yes, it was. You know what? Bring Toni with you. The girl has a sixth sense for deceptively benevolent evil. I'll be with Stacie."  
  
Kai watched with the others as Enrique snapped the neck of the traitorous woman who'd been poisoning his lifemate. Then Enrique froze. In his mind, he felt Stacie, his sweet, darling Stacie, reach for him, almost desperately, through the pain and fear. He immediately sent waves of love and reassurance, both to her and the baby. At a command from Gregori, the other men did, too. Kai sensed the dark energy from the child, and realized it was a girl. An almost completely healthy baby girl. She was just, as Enrique's thoughts read, "a little small for her age." The Italian prince bolted to his and Stacie's room, and the others chuckled at his eagerness. "So is Stacie alright?" Kai asked. Devin murmured, "She'll be fine." The Dragon King looked thoughtful, though, and the younger immortal sensed he was thinking hard, troubled. "What's up?" Hazel eyes glanced at him in surprise. "I'm just wondering what Enrique's going through. I mean, that's his fifth kid, sixth if you count Fernando. He and Stacie adopted that one. So, you know, how does that... how does that make him feel, do you think?" "Well, don't you and Ravyn have any kids?" "Oh, we haven't... I mean, we're not... um...." The young monarch blushed furiously. Kai chuckled. "I mean, it has been a long time, almost a millennium, but... I don't know." "So," Tyson snickered, "you two haven't spawned an army of baby dragonets- Ow!!!" Tyson landed from his spot hovering six feet off the floor, onto the floor, eyes swirling and a large bump on his head. "Keep your nose out of my love life, you odiously fat toad." Ravyn's eyes were glowing green with annoyance, but serenity swiftly took its place as Devin's arm went around her shoulders. "Hi, Devin." "You're certainly in good spirits." "Stacie's new baby. All the girls are happy now, even the widows." "What'd she name it?" "Margarita." Devin looked down at Ravyn in shock. "Stacy loves 'em, and you all know it. And it's Italian... or Spanish. Actually, though, honestly, she didn't. Name it that. She named it Francesca." He looked pathetically relieved, crying, "Good." "What's wrong with Margarita, my lad, may I ask?" Devin eyed his lifemate worriedly, afraid of possibly being thumped. "Nothing at all." "That's what I thought." She sighed dreamily, murmuring, "Hey, do you remember Stacie and Enrique's wedding?" "I remember Dracula's appearance." "Hahahaha! Oh, oh, that was funny." Kai and the other Blade Breakers crowded around the Shifter couple, crying, "Tell, tell!" Kai merely smirked, feigning disinterest. "Well, for one thing, my uncle, Dracula, has this privilege as the most famous vampire alive." Dara said. "He is, on the day of the wedding, allowed to kiss a vampire bride before she is pronounced a wife. So Stacie, on the morning of her wedding, right when the priest said, 'I now pronounce you,' she cried out. 'Wait,' she said, 'Dracula has not come to kiss me.' It is Vampiric custom, you see, and Stacie was made into one of us before she and Enrique married. So my uncle, looking quite grand in black velvet, swung Stacie around and planted a rather large kiss on her. When he let her up, Stacie looked at Enrique and told him he better kiss better than Dracula. My uncle looked crushed. Stacie had basically dissed his kissing abilities, and if the great Dracula is not a good kisser, who is?" "Dracula's your uncle?" Kenny cried. "He was a childhood friend of my father's, and so is considered my uncle, though there is no blood between us. Because he is not of my kind, he is not considered the oldest vampire, though he is older than me by about four hundred years." "Is it true he has three wives?" Kenny asked, inputting data into his computer. "No." "Oh, but... the three vampire women mentioned in the book, Dracula?" "Uncle Dracula has, last I counted, eighteen wives. Their names are Marishka, Dolorea, and Sarantha, the Three Sisters; Carmilla, Elizabeth, and Lucretzia, the Bloody Countesses; Lachesis, Clotho, and Atropos, the Three Fates; Alecto, Megara, and Tisiphon, the Furies; Lucinda and Wilhemina, the London Twins; Eros and Celeste, the Dark Goddesses; Desdemona, the Human; and Miyu, the Fire Witch." "Damn!" "Yes, I know. He also has thirteen children by them, twelve daughters and a son." "Their names?" "Diana, Selene, Luna, Camille, Artemis, Cynthia, Caliope, Phoebe, Alexandria, Nemesis, Luna, his son, D, and a final daughter, Chisato. And, Eryka deLupe was sired by him." "Speaking of which, where is Eryka?" Lestat drawled. He was leaning against the doorframe to the room, staring at the corpse of Stacie's antagonist. "I sent her on a mission." Midnight said. "With Erynh, Josh, and Tyler. Stay out of it." "Of course."  
  
"Come on, mutt." Eryka tried to run, but the pain in her side was impeding her. She'd been shot, the bullets filled with Blood Ruby poison. Her sister was pumped full of silver, and the bullet holes were steaming as her bleeding flesh burned. "Mutt...." "Go without me, Leach." "No, we gotta find Tyler and Josh. Come on, stand up straight, you flea- bitten bitch!" "Blood-sucking dominatrix whore!" "Whoring bitch for a slut-bag hound dog!" "At least my guy can lick his own balls." At this point, both Dark women were sufficiently pissed off to walk on their own, ignoring the pain as they strove to outdo each other with mental insults. "At least my guy can actually eat people." "At least mine doesn't do it indiscriminately!" "At least mine can actually fuck worth a damn!" "I just realized, Louis can't lick his own balls, Erynh." "You don't know that, leach!" "Sure she does." Josh came out of the shadows by the car, him and Tyler catching the twins as they collapsed, exhausted. "Tyler, let's get them outta here, okay?" "Yeah. We gotta report back to Dara. She's gotta know!" "Know what, Joshua Valin?" The two brothers turned slowly to see Aricha Bakyr, the blond Romulese werewolf, grinning madly. Behind her were about half-a-dozen werewolves, mostly Romulese, a few scattered Fenrians and Lycans. They all grinned, saliva dripping from their serrated canine teeth. "What does the blood bitch have to know?" She had to know that the castle, the castle, would soon be under attack, and the rogue wolves were in alliance. "It's a pity, really, because your precious blood whore will never know whatever you were going to tell her. All she'll have the pleasure of knowing is that I enjoyed feasting on your guts. Attack them!" Josh and Tyler dragged the unconscious twins into the car, revved the motor, and tore off down the street. Eryka awoke at a none to gentle slap from Josh, who told her to take the wheel. Josh and Tyler exchanged a glance, transformed their eyes to see better, and loaded their guns.  
  
"Ravyn, what is that?" Stacie's voice was tremulous. There was a blood chilling howl going up around the palazzo, and Stacie held Francesca tighter as the baby began to cry. "Ravyn?" "Don't worry. Jacob and Leviathan are right outside, they'll protect you. I have to go to him now. Alright?" "Be careful, Ravyn, okay?" Ravyn kissed Stacie's cheek and left quickly. As she glided down the hallway, she felt her fangs slide over her eyeteeth, felt her long, manicured nails transform into ripping talons, and felt her wings sprout from her back. This pair was leathery and scaled, like bat wings, or gargoyle wings, not like her usual fairy-like wings. Her tongue, now a foot-long, snake-like appendage, flicked out to taste the air. The bastards were close. So was Devin. Hello, beloved. Devin. She murmured his voice warmly, a caress against the sensitive barriers of his mind. Devin. Ravyn, be careful, be aware. The enemy is coming upon you. As am I. Devin glided through the thick, filmy darkness, aware of how the shadows parted for him. He was a master of the night, powerful, unstoppable. And he was coming to his lifemate, to find and protect her. Even though, he thought wryly, she really didn't need him to. But it was instinct. He went on, his powerful senses telling him of the dangers. "Well, well, well, the Lord of the House of Black. Prince Devin." He looked up, and suddenly the room flared with brightness. He winced as his eyes flashed with pain at the sudden change in lighting. As his eyes adjusted, he cursed himself for not paying attention. He was surrounded by drakshini, cannibalistic dragons. Evil, turncoat, rogue dragons. Enemies. "Don't mess with me." "Oh, if you're looking for the little dragoon whore, you won't find her. At least, not before the boys do." A familiar scream shattered the oppressive silence. Devin froze. "She's either being raped or eaten. What do you think? She's very fuckable, but she looks so yummy... which one, which one, do you think?" "If I find you've hurt her-" "Oh, young love. So enchanting. The young buck, strutting his stuff for the hottest girl. So tell me, is she a virgin? Is she innocent? Hmmm?" The drakshini speaking, a woman with long black hair and sick, glittering eyes, grinned, showing rotting teeth. Another scream pierced the silence. Devin's eyes were murderous with hate. "You're dead when I find you again." He whispered, and turned on his heel to find Ravyn. "Oh, no, Prince." The drakshini whispered savagely, as it's rapier hit home, sliding into Devin's body and piercing his heart. He turned his head to look out of the corner of his eye. The cannibal grinned and licked his cheek. "Sweet, sweet Prince. What will your soultwin say when she finds your body?" A dagger slid between his ribs once, twice, a third time. Devin could not move, could not fight as he felt the life draining from his body. He felt a strange tickling in the back of his throat. When he coughed, blood stained his lips. He fell to the floor, struggling to rise. "Naughty, naughty Prince, so good for eating." A knife cut into his chest, peeling a strip of skin from his body. His eyes went wide as the woman swallowed it whole. "Delicious, truly." Ravyn, he called desperately, Ravyn, for the love of God, where are you? Tell me you're safe at least. Devin? Hang on! Ravyn rushed to where she sensed her soultwin's ebbing life force. She saw him on the ground, saw the drakshini, and went still. Deep in her heart, a tiny spark of hatred and livid rage fanned into a destructive, blazing flame. Her wings vanished along with the last dregs of her humanity, and her eyes were hard, cold, burning with a terrifying fury. There was blood all over Devin, and by the smell, most of it was his. "Damn you." Ravyn murmured in a little girl voice. She approached the rogue, her fingers curling around the woman's neck. "You hurt my soultwin." She squeezed, felt as the larynx was crushed under the pressure. "You'll pay." When Ravyn had finished exacting her revenge, the drakshini was still alive, but her eyes were blank and glassy, her breathing shallow, and drool hung from her lips. "Devin!" She went to his side. Already the bleeding had stopped, but the wound wouldn't heal without outside mental healing. She instead bound the wound with strips from her white jacket, and then helped him slip into a sweater she materialized from his room. When he tried to rise, he put a hand to his chest, grimacing in pain. Ravyn put her arms around him and looked up at him, worried. "It's alright, my love." His eyes held a strange light when he looked at her. His gaze drifted down to her lips, her soft, inviting lips, suddenly urgent to memorize every gentle curve of them. Her lips could be so very generous, he thought. He realized that, if he had died, he would never have been able to kiss those lips again. "Let's go." She whispered. Anything above a whisper would shatter whatever was happening between them now. What felt like electricity almost crackled between them. "Yes." Devin didn't move, though. He bent his head and captured her lips in a tender kiss.  
  
Max was in dire straits. He was surrounded by werewolves, and the exit was blocked. He was screwed. At least, he thought he was, until a roar sounded from outside. The stained glass window to his right shattered under the impact of ten hundred pounds of feline muscle and temper as a terrifyingly huge white tiger leapt into the room. The beast was at least twice as tall at the shoulder as Max was, and three times as long, counting its furiously swishing tail. Its eyes were ice blue, and its fangs were bared in a snarl of rage. Attack! Suddenly, the entire room was full of shrieking werewolves that fought with unseen assailants before being shredded by invisible claws and teeth. The first tiger began to shift, its body contorting to fit the form of a small girl, maybe four foot something tall. And then, before him, was Nicolina Tygre, the Arcerian princess. She grinned at Max. "Pretty impressive. Thanks for rescuing me." "No problem- aah!" Max shoved her out of the way as a Romulese leapt at the two of them. It crashed into him, sending him to the floor, unconscious, before looking at the princess who was back into a small corner, teeth bared. "Not so brave now, are we, princess?" The small shifter glanced at Max, saw the rending tears in his body from the impact of the claws. She thought of how he'd saved her, how'd he'd been so kind to her since they'd met, how he treated her like a normal girl. She thought of how much she cared about him, and suddenly her heart was brimming with rage. "I'm a lot braver than you'd think, you son of a bitch!"  
  
Tyson was back to back with Kayla, both of them brimming with power and anger. These sons of bitches were attacking the palazzo, and so soon after young Francesca was born. The two teenage-looking vampires bared their fangs in a snarled challenge. "You two are so dead. Well, maybe not you, Miss Bertwell. You've been a thorn in my side for centuries, and I'll enjoy breaking you." That had been the wrong thing to say. Tyson's eyes were glowing red, his fury obvious, as the enemy came at them.  
  
Dara and Kai were the last to be seen, rescuing those who needed rescuing, aiding the ones who were battling the enemy with ease. They found the still not quite calm Ravyn and the injured Devin, the beautiful, petite Nicolina and the blood soaked, slightly wounded Max, the awe struck Kayla and the red drenched Tyson. Devin checked with Jake and Levi, his right and left hand men, and they said all was well with Stacie, though the baby was fussing a little. "Where's Nicole and Kenny? And Ray?" Even as the question was voiced, the three familiar faces came out of the shadows, followed by a new face. This face was slender, elfin, aristocratic, with eyes that shifted from warm brown to cat gold to warm brown again. This was a cat shifter of some kind, and due to the dark tone of her smooth skin, one of the large, African cats. Ray turned to her as she faltered in her step, and he put an arm around her, supporting her. "Monet." He was worried, concerned, as she straightened and gave him a smile, revealing tiny cat fangs. Her eyes were a hard yellow, making her pain obvious. She smiled at her old friend and nodded in reassurance. "Nicole, are you and the guys okay?" Midnight turned to the other three and Ray nodded. Kenny and Nicole glanced at each other and blushed hard. "Do I wanna know?" "No, you don't." Monet murmured, grinning with Cheshire cat-like mania. "Come on, they're all gone." Devin whispered. "At least, I think-" He was cut off by two grief stricken wails, screams of anguish and loss, rage and pain, as Devin cried out in shock. Two familiar, almost constant entities in his outer mind vanished instantly. Another scream, of terror and rage, reverberated through the palazzo, and everyone was rushing to Stacie's room. Ravyn, Monet, Kayla, Nicole, and Nicolina got there first, the two cat shifters shifting completely, Kayla and Nicole allowing their rage to bring forth their demonic looking forms. Ravyn merely brought all her dark power to bear, feeling it pulsing through her body. She didn't have much time, because too much exposure to the deep Darkness of a creature like herself could burn her body alive. She brought it forth, channeled it, and felt as the minds of her enemies shattered under her mental assault. Nicole and the others were attacking those she spared, and Ravyn, with Devin went to Leviathan and Jacob. Both half-angels were wounded, bleeding heavily from severe cuts to the chest, belly, and back. They had been doing their job, what their best friend and leader had asked them to do: protect Donna Scarletti and her cubs. All six Jaguar kittens were huddled up in a corner of the room, all except Enrique Jr., who was standing in front of his mother, claws unsheathed and sharp, little teeth bared. The enemy laughed. The little prince still had his milk teeth! When the wolves stalked closer, Natasha came and growled, teeth bared. She would protect her mother. "Out of the way, kittens! We might spare you if you behave!" One wolf, a male, snarled at them. The male wolves kept coming closer. The females were sick. They had a strange, dawning respect of the cubs as all but Antonietta, holding young Francesca, came to stand in front of the wounded, bleeding Donna. Antonietta was protecting her baby sister as the second youngest of the kittens. "Come and get us, flea bags!" Tasha cried, glaring. As the males stepped forward to attack, an ear-splitting shriek of rage and grief stopped them dead. It was followed by a cacophony of vengeful howls. Eryka and Erynh deLupe, glaring hatefully, entered the room, followed by Midnight, Kayla, Nicole, Monet, Nicolina, Ravyn, Jeshika, Enrique, Talleri, Bianca, Jasmine, and Tara. Jeshika and Tara were the soultwins of Levi and Jake, and they were hateful. The three widows were vengeful on behalf of the children. Enrique saw his lifemate and attacked the enemy, followed by the women. Stacie herded the four cubs behind her, but the battle was over in seconds, and the corpses removed. Enrique rushed to Stacie and his cubs. Levi, Devin, and Jacob, wounded but standing, grabbed their soultwins and held them close. Nicole flung her arms around Kenny and hugged him hard, laughing because he was blushing. Ray and Monet grinned at each other. The widows were fussing over the children. Kayla high-fived Tyson. The only ones not celebrating were Kai, Dara, Eryka, Erynh, Josh, and Tyler. They were telling the Vampire Queen and King the plans of the enemy. "They'll beat us for sure this time, if they succeed at that fucker." Tyler whispered. Midnight nodded, and looked up at Kai. His face was hard, emotionless. "We'll stop them. This campaign won't succeed. None of us will let it. We're going to Transylvania. They'd better pray to their gods we don't get there in a foul mood." Kai said grimly. Everyone in the room heard him, and they knew what was coming. A new campaign, a new set of battles. The board was set, the objectives obvious. It was time to fight. It was time to win.  
  
The End  
  
To see Kai and Midnight's next adventure, wait for "Halloween Romance: the Dracula Saga." See ya soon, next time, on Beyblade! 


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